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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stem — to come from
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. row — a line
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. chest — a box
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chest — of your body

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