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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pit — in a race
  3. file — a document
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rule — a law
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rule — government
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. file — a line of people
  15. mine — for digging
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. file — a tool
  18. cue — for pool
  19. roll — a list
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. roll — a cake
  24. kick — with a leg

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