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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. game — wild animals
  5. suit — to fit
  6. game — a match
  7. root — of a word
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. cap — of ice
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. ground — the earth
  12. foot — a measure
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cap — a lid
  15. ground — a position
  16. root — of a plant
  17. ground — crushed
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cap — a hat
  21. suit — in cards
  22. root — the cause
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. kick — a thrill

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