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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. cue — a hint
  4. row — to paddle
  5. file — a document
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lean — to bend
  8. row — a line
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lean — thin
  11. file — a line of people
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cue — a signal
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bulb — for light
  20. file — a tool
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cue — for pool
  24. prune — to trim

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