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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. content — happy
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. board — to get on
  10. kick — in football
  11. date — the fruit
  12. board — a committee
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. foot — a measure
  16. spring — a coil
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. spring — of water
  19. content — the amount
  20. spring — the season
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mouse — the animal

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