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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. perch — the fish
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pass — a permit
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wound — an injury
  8. key — the most important part
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. key — in music
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. march — the month
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. foot — part of the body

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