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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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. board — a committee
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. ground — a position
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ground — crushed
  10. swing — in golf
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. swing — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. swing — to play on
  20. ground — the earth
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. board — to get on
  24. deal — a big deal

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