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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mug — a face
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bat — the animal
  8. current — of water
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. current — electric
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. foot — a measure
  19. degree — from a university
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stand — to bear
  22. degree — an amount
  23. current — happening now
  24. hand — help

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