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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stock — shares
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. swing — in golf
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stock — goods
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pit — a hole
  24. lean — to bend

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