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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. content — the amount
  3. lie — to recline
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. foot — a measure
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. object — an aim
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. sharp — clever
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. content — happy
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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