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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. face — part of the head
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. plane — a tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. game — wild animals
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. game — a match
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. face — to confront
  15. foot — a measure
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fine — high quality
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — all right
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fine — a penalty

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