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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. spell — letters
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. foot — a measure
  7. spell — magic
  8. rock — a stone
  9. craft — a skill
  10. track — a song
  11. cue — a signal
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rock — music
  17. craft — boats
  18. spell — a short time
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — happy
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cue — for pool
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. craft — a handicraft

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