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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. press — newspapers
  5. lean — to bend
  6. hand — in cards
  7. foot — a measure
  8. scale — size or range
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. lean — thin
  13. scale — in music
  14. press — a publisher
  15. toast — bread
  16. ground — the earth
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. press — to push
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ground — crushed
  24. scale — for weighing

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