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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. game — wild animals
  5. chest — of your body
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. club — for dancing
  9. foot — a measure
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. club — for golf
  13. chest — a box
  14. prune — to trim
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. prune — to trim
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. club — a group
  20. game — a match
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. temple — a place of worship

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