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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. last — to go on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. last — final
  16. can — a tin
  17. last — finally
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — to be able to
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. arm — a part of something

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