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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. key — the most important part
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. plane — a tool
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. land — ground
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. land — to come down
  11. spell — magic
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. vault — a safe
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. land — a country

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