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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rash — a series
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. can — a tin
  12. foot — a measure
  13. can — a tin
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. pit — in a race
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rash — hasty
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pit — a hole
  24. firm — a company

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