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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. drill — army training
  3. pop — to visit
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. foot — a measure
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pop — music
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. can — to be able to
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pop — soda
  24. land — to come down

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