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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. suit — clothes
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lean — to bend
  5. suit — to fit
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. toast — bread
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. field — a subject
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. field — for sport
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. field — farmland
  23. suit — in cards
  24. temple — a place of worship

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