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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. staff — employees
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bore — to tire
  6. roll — a cake
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. perch — the fish
  10. staff — employees
  11. foot — a measure
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — a city
  24. foot — the bottom

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