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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 120 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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fall — to drop
  4. staff — employees
  5. fall — to drop
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. key — in music
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. land — to come down
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. net — after costs
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fall — the season
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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