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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. scale — in music
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. kick — in football
  17. bank — for money
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. deal — to handle
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. foot — the bottom

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