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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. can — a tin
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — of a plant
  6. foot — a measure
  7. lean — thin
  8. root — of a word
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. root — the cause
  12. scale — in music
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wound — an injury
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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