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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. race — a contest
  3. field — farmland
  4. foot — a measure
  5. race — humankind
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rash — a series
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rash — hasty
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stand — to bear
  17. field — for sport
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mate — a friend
  24. field — a subject

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