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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. firm — steady
  4. season — of the year
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. foot — a measure
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. content — the amount
  12. roll — a cake
  13. season — in sport
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. content — happy
  17. rush — hurry
  18. firm — a company
  19. prune — to trim
  20. roll — a list
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. firm — decided
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. content — videos and posts

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