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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. present — there
  6. mate — to breed
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mate — a friend
  10. present — a gift
  11. mate — a partner
  12. roll — a list
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. land — ground
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. land — a country
  17. roll — a cake
  18. present — the time now
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. saw — the tool
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. foot — a measure

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