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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. foot — a measure
  4. can — a tin
  5. club — for golf
  6. roll — a list
  7. mug — to rob
  8. can — to be able to
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. can — a tin
  12. prune — to trim
  13. roll — a cake
  14. mug — a face
  15. land — a country
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. club — for dancing
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. land — to come down
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. land — ground
  23. club — a group
  24. mug — a cup

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