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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. foot — a measure
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pit — a hole
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. capital — a city
  13. toast — bread
  14. capital — money
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — the earth
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. fork — a garden tool

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