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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. spell — a short time
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wind — moving air
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. vault — a safe
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. foot — a measure
  17. spell — letters
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. spell — magic
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wake — a trail
  24. date — the fruit

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