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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. rest — a break
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. charge — in control
  5. kick — in football
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. charge — a price
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rest — what's left
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. charge — electricity
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. wound — an injury

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