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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. drill — a practice
  7. shower — rain
  8. bat — the animal
  9. drill — the tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. foot — a measure
  15. shower — to wash
  16. drill — army training
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mark — a trace
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. leaves — of a tree

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