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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — to recline
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. chip — for betting
  14. net — after costs
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pop — to visit
  18. foot — a measure
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. net — for catching
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. net — in sport
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stand — to bear

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