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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. toast — bread
  9. row — to paddle
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. row — a line
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. key — for a lock
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. foot — a measure
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. key — the most important part
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. mine — for digging
  23. key — in music
  24. straw — a straw man

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