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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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 — letters
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cue — for pool
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. capital — a city
  9. spell — magic
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — money
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rush — hurry

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