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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bound — tied together
  3. saw — the tool
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bound — obliged
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — a permit
  9. last — to go on
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bound — certain
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. degree — an amount
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. last — final
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. last — finally
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bulb — for light
  24. foot — a measure

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