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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. firm — a company
  3. pound — a weight
  4. firm — decided
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. court — for sport
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. firm — steady

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