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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mug — a face
  4. rest — a break
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bass — the fish
  7. scale — size or range
  8. tube — a container
  9. mug — a cup
  10. board — a committee
  11. mug — to rob
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bass — low music
  20. drill — a practice
  21. scale — in music
  22. board — to get on
  23. tube — the underground
  24. scale — for weighing

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