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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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fall — the season
  4. key — for a lock
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. key — in music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bore — to drill
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rule — government
  18. fall — to drop
  19. key — the most important part
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rule — a law
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rule — to rule out

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