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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. game — wild animals
  3. content — happy
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — in control
  6. game — a match
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. swing — in golf
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. charge — a price
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lie — to recline
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. content — the amount
  23. vault — a safe
  24. charge — electricity

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