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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. charge — in control
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. tube — the underground
  6. chest — a box
  7. charge — a price
  8. firm — a company
  9. foot — a measure
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. charge — electricity
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. firm — steady
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — decided
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. chest — of your 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