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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  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 — a measure
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. rule — a law
  6. cap — a hat
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. rule — government
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. toast — bread
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cap — of ice
  16. roll — a list
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. roll — a cake
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mine — for digging
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bass — the instrument
  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