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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. club — for dancing
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rule — a law
  8. foot — a measure
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. club — a group
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rule — government

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