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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mug — to rob
  3. march — the month
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. cell — a phone
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. march — the month
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cell — in biology
  21. mug — a face
  22. march — music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fall — to drop

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