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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 120 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bound — certain
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. net — in sport
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. season — of the year
  15. scale — in music
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. net — for catching
  18. season — in sport
  19. plane — a tool
  20. degree — an amount
  21. net — after costs
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. scale — size or range
  24. degree — from a university

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