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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. object — to protest
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. object — a thing
  6. foot — a measure
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. charge — a price
  11. cue — a hint
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stock — shares
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. charge — in control
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. hand — help
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. object — an aim
  24. stock — goods

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