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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. cap — a hat
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. lean — thin
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. foot — a measure
  18. suit — to fit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. dip — to sink
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lean — to bend
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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