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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. last — final
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mug — a cup
  7. band — a music group
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — finally
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mug — a face
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. drill — army training
  17. cell — in biology
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mug — to rob
  20. band — a ring
  21. cell — a phone
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lie — an untruth

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