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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. march — the month
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — shares
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. march — music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. scale — in music
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. march — the month
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. kick — in football
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. scale — size or range

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