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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. key — the most important part
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. key — in music
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bat — the animal
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. key — for a lock
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stand — to bear
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. craft — boats
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. craft — a skill
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. hand — in cards
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. hand — help

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