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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — the fish
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bass — low music
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fall — to drop
  13. prune — to trim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bound — obliged
  19. pass — a permit
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. fall — the season
  23. bound — certain
  24. season — in sport

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