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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — certain
  8. object — a thing
  9. pit — in a race
  10. season — in sport
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mine — for digging
  13. object — to protest
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bound — obliged
  16. object — an aim
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. season — of the year

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