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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 like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bear — the animal
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rock — music
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rock — a stone
  22. object — to protest
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bear — the animal

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