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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. track — a song
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. prune — to trim
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — for sport
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. track — a path
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. track — to keep track
  20. spell — magic
  21. dip — to sink
  22. field — a subject
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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