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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. fork — in a road
  4. race — a contest
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bass — the fish
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bass — low music
  11. lie — to recline
  12. foot — a measure
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. race — humankind
  18. mug — a face
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mine — for digging

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