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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 120 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wind — moving air
  5. tube — a container
  6. pit — in a race
  7. scale — size or range
  8. tube — the underground
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rest — what's left
  12. current — electric
  13. rest — a break
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — happening now
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. current — of water
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. scale — in music
  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