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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 120 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. kick — in football
  4. bass — low music
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. mug — a face
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. hand — help
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bass — the fish
  24. temple — a place of worship

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