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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. craft — boats
  7. rest — a break
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. craft — a skill
  13. degree — temperature
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fine — all right
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. saw — the tool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. degree — from a university
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. degree — an amount
  24. mouse — the animal

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