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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cap — a lid
  4. race — a contest
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. race — the arms race
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fine — all right
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. race — humankind
  15. pitch — completely
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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