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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ground — crushed
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. foot — a measure
  5. face — to point toward
  6. net — for catching
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. toast — bread
  11. stand — to bear
  12. face — to confront
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. ground — a position
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bound — certain
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bound — tied together
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. net — after costs

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