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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pound — a weight
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. staff — employees
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rest — what's left
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. face — to confront
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. staff — a stick

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