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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a committee
  4. scale — in music
  5. firm — a company
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. spell — a short time
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. suit — in cards
  13. spell — magic
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. firm — steady
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. spell — letters
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. firm — decided
  21. scale — size or range
  22. board — to get on
  23. suit — clothes
  24. toast — bread

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