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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ground — a position
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pop — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. toast — bread
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. board — to get on
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pop — soda
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rash — a series
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rash — hasty
  24. toast — the most admired

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