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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. lean — thin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. present — there
  14. lean — to bend
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. present — a gift
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. present — the time now
  24. bass — low music

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