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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. tube — the underground
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. net — for catching
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. tube — a container
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. foot — a measure
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. spring — of water
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. track — to keep track
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. firm — steady

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