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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. stock — shares
  9. bat — the animal
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — dry grass

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