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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. key — for a lock
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. key — the most important part
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mine — for digging
  15. present — a gift
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. key — in music

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