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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. drill — army training
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. firm — decided
  6. season — of the year
  7. shower — rain
  8. game — wild animals
  9. drill — a practice
  10. plane — a tool
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. firm — a company
  18. shower — to wash
  19. game — a match
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. firm — steady
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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