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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. perch — the fish
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. capital — a city
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rest — what's left
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rest — a break
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. perch — for a bird

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