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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. spell — letters
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bark — to shout
  15. face — to confront
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. spell — a short time
  20. face — part of the head
  21. spell — magic
  22. foot — a measure
  23. face — to point toward
  24. racket — for tennis

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