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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. kid — child
  3. fine — high quality
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. plane — a tool
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rule — a law
  16. kid — to tease
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. rule — government
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. plane — in geometry

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