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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. spell — magic
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — a list
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. degree — an amount
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. spell — letters
  13. foot — a measure
  14. degree — from a university
  15. current — happening now
  16. pit — in a race
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. chip — to eat
  21. degree — temperature
  22. current — electric
  23. chip — for betting
  24. current — of water

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