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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pitch — completely
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mug — a face
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bulb — for light
  22. face — to confront
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stem — a stem cell

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