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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. club — for dancing
  3. squash — the sport
  4. key — in music
  5. fine — all right
  6. foot — a measure
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. chest — a box
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. chest — of your body
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. club — for golf
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rest — a break
  18. key — the most important part
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. squash — to crush
  21. rest — what's left
  22. key — for a lock
  23. club — a group
  24. rest — what's left

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