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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. firm — steady
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. firm — a company
  8. race — a contest
  9. row — to paddle
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. race — the arms race
  16. row — a line
  17. pass — a permit
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. race — humankind
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. firm — decided
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. game — a match

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