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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 120 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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. present — a gift
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. key — in music
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. key — the most important part
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. present — there
  14. foot — a measure
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. degree — temperature
  17. degree — from a university
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cue — a signal
  22. present — the time now
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. key — for a lock

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