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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. prune — to trim
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ground — crushed
  13. foot — a measure
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fine — all right
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ground — the earth
  19. date — the fruit
  20. suit — to fit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ground — a position
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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