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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. object — a thing
  4. track — to keep track
  5. object — an aim
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. track — a song
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. foot — a measure
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bear — the animal
  13. track — a path
  14. object — to protest
  15. drill — army training
  16. bear — the animal
  17. drill — the tool
  18. face — to point toward
  19. tube — a container
  20. drill — a practice
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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