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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. foot — a measure
  10. object — an aim
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. object — a thing
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. object — to protest
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pass — a permit
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. band — a music group
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. foot — part of the body

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