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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. foot — a measure
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. shower — rain
  10. toast — bread
  11. shower — to wash
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pound — a weight
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. suit — clothes
  20. game — a match
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. temple — a place of worship

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