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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pop — to visit
  3. fall — the season
  4. pop — music
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pop — soda
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bank — for money
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ball — a dance
  19. firm — decided
  20. fall — to drop
  21. firm — steady
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bank — for money
  24. firm — a company

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