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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. charge — a price
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rest — a break
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bear — the animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. fall — the season
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. row — a line
  19. rest — what's left
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. fall — to drop
  23. game — a match
  24. charge — electricity

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