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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitch — completely
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fork — in a road
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. spell — letters
  19. rock — a stone
  20. foot — a measure
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. spell — magic
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rock — music

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