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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bound — obliged
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mate — a friend
  6. drill — the tool
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bound — tied together
  9. charge — in control
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. plane — a tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. squash — the sport
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bound — certain
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. drill — a practice
  20. squash — to crush
  21. charge — a price
  22. drill — army training
  23. scale — in music
  24. plane — an aircraft

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