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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. toast — bread
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. craft — a skill
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pop — to visit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pop — soda
  15. date — the fruit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pop — music
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. craft — boats
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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