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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. game — wild animals
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. race — humankind
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. race — the arms race
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. game — a match
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bore — to drill
  22. race — a contest
  23. foot — a measure
  24. arm — part of the body

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