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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. swing — in golf
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — for sport
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. foot — a measure
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. field — farmland
  18. swing — to play on
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. swing — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com