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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. march — the month
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. mug — a cup
  8. hand — in cards
  9. root — of a word
  10. bass — low music
  11. last — final
  12. march — the month
  13. last — finally
  14. mug — to rob
  15. hand — help
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bass — the fish
  18. march — music
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — the cause
  23. mug — a face
  24. last — to go on

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