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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pound — a weight
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. spell — letters
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. can — a tin
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. spell — magic
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wound — an injury
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. spell — a short time

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