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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. spring — a coil
  3. race — the arms race
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. race — humankind
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. spring — the season
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rest — what's left
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rest — a break
  14. race — a contest
  15. perch — the fish
  16. spring — of water
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — a committee
  20. foot — a measure
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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