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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. net — for catching
  6. foot — a measure
  7. spell — a short time
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ground — the earth
  14. spell — magic
  15. race — a contest
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spell — letters
  20. net — in sport
  21. ground — a position
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. net — after costs
  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