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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rush — hurry
  7. march — music
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ground — a position
  11. kid — to tease
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. march — the month
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. kid — child
  18. firm — a company
  19. march — the month
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. chair — a leader
  24. foot — the bottom

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