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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ground — a position
  3. chest — of your body
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. foot — a measure
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. chest — of your body
  9. ground — crushed
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ground — the earth
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chest — a box
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. can — a tin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. toast — bread
  24. season — to add flavour

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