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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lean — to bend
  7. foot — a measure
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. fall — to drop
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. season — in sport
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fall — the season
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fall — to drop
  24. season — of the year

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