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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 120 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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bass — the fish
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — a match
  11. staff — employees
  12. drill — the tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. staff — a stick
  16. drill — army training
  17. staff — employees
  18. drill — a practice
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. kick — in football
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bass — low music

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