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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pit — in a race
  4. chair — a leader
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pit — a hole
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ball — a dance
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. kick — in football
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. cell — in biology
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cell — a phone
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. foot — the bottom

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