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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. staff — employees
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. staff — a stick
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bound — certain
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spell — letters
  9. bound — tied together
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bear — the animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. spell — magic
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. staff — employees
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. ball — a great time
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. saw — the tool
  24. foot — a measure

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