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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stock — shares
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rash — a series
  9. cold — not warm
  10. toast — bread
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. foot — a measure
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. lean — to bend
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lean — thin
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cue — a signal
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. stock — goods
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. cold — an illness

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