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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. charge — a price
  5. staff — employees
  6. charge — in control
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. charge — electricity
  10. staff — employees
  11. spring — of water
  12. shower — to wash
  13. foot — a measure
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. spring — a coil
  21. shower — rain
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. spring — the season

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