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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. staff — employees
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fall — to drop
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fall — the season
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. staff — employees
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fall — to drop
  24. foot — a measure

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