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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. roll — a cake
  5. kick — in football
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. cue — a hint
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cue — a signal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. land — a country
  12. toast — bread
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. capital — a city
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. cue — for pool
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. foot — a measure
  20. roll — a list
  21. capital — money
  22. land — to come down
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. land — ground

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