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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. current — of water
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. key — in music
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. game — a match
  9. foot — a measure
  10. object — an aim
  11. key — for a lock
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. kick — in football
  15. game — wild animals
  16. key — the most important part
  17. track — a path
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. object — to protest
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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