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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pop — to visit
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pop — soda
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pop — music
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stem — to come from
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. sharp — clever

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