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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lean — thin
  7. chip — to eat
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. season — of the year
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. sharp — clever
  19. season — in sport
  20. chip — for betting
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rush — hurry
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to bend

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