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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rock — a stone
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wound — an injury
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. nail — on a finger

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