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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. fine — all right
  9. mine — for digging
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pitch — completely
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fork — in a road

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