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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. swing — music
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. foot — a measure
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. swing — in golf
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. chair — a leader

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