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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. chest — a box
  4. rest — a break
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. track — a song
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chest — of your body
  18. craft — a skill
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. craft — boats
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rest — what's left

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