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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cap — a lid
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. craft — a skill
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. rash — a series
  19. suit — to fit
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rash — hasty
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cap — a hat

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