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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. race — the arms race
  7. scale — size or range
  8. wound — an injury
  9. club — a group
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. scale — in music
  12. race — humankind
  13. wound — an injury
  14. race — a contest
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. club — for golf
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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