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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. last — finally
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fall — the season
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. suit — clothes
  10. last — to go on
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mate — to breed
  13. charge — in control
  14. mate — a friend
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. charge — a price
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rest — what's left
  20. last — final
  21. fall — to drop
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — to fit

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