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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. toast — bread
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — the tool
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a tool
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wound — an injury
  16. charge — in control
  17. drill — army training
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. file — a line of people
  21. charge — a price
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wound — an injury
  24. charge — electricity

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