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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. charge — a price
  4. foot — a measure
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — clever
  9. squash — to crush
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rush — hurry
  14. squash — the sport
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chair — a leader
  21. key — in music
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. charge — in control
  24. key — the most important part

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