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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. suit — clothes
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. land — ground
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. charge — electricity
  10. suit — in cards
  11. charge — in control
  12. land — to come down
  13. suit — to fit
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. land — a country
  20. charge — a price
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. scale — in music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — size or range

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