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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. roll — a cake
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mate — to breed
  10. roll — a list
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. foot — a measure
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stem — to come from
  15. pop — to visit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. mate — a partner
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. mate — a friend

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