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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. wound — an injury
  5. spell — magic
  6. wound — an injury
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. cue — for pool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. field — farmland
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. spell — a short time
  13. field — a subject
  14. foot — a measure
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. field — for sport
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. spell — letters
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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