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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bore — to drill
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. present — the time now
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. present — there
  11. foot — a measure
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. squash — to crush
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. squash — the sport
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. present — a gift
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. leaves — lets stay

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