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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. ground — crushed
  3. lean — thin
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rush — hurry
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — bread
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. ground — a position
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. ground — the earth
  17. foot — a measure
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wound — an injury
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. craft — a skill

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