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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bulb — for light
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wound — an injury
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. swing — music
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. scale — size or range
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bore — to tire
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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