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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rest — what's left
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. stem — to come from
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lean — to bend
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rest — a break
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. date — the fruit
  23. lean — thin
  24. foot — a measure

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