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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — the earth
  4. tear — from crying
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tear — to rip
  13. ground — a position
  14. tear — from crying
  15. toast — bread
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. saw — the tool

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