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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rash — a series
  4. stock — goods
  5. ball — a dance
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stock — shares
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. file — a tool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rash — hasty
  21. file — a document
  22. foot — a measure
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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