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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. deal — to handle
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. club — for dancing
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. press — a publisher
  10. club — a group
  11. chest — a box
  12. field — for sport
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. club — for golf
  15. hand — help
  16. foot — a measure
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. hand — in cards
  22. chest — of your body
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. leaves — of a tree

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