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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rest — a break
  4. dip — to sink
  5. lie — to recline
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fork — in a road
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lie — an untruth

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