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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mark — a grade
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. game — a match
  12. pop — music
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pop — soda
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. game — wild animals
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mark — a trace
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. foot — a measure
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. rush — hurry

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