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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. kick — in football
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. roll — a cake
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. roll — a list
  14. firm — steady
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. plane — a tool
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. firm — a company
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. firm — decided

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