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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. last — to go on
  6. perch — the fish
  7. last — finally
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rest — what's left
  10. field — a subject
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. can — a tin
  17. field — for sport
  18. rest — a break
  19. field — farmland
  20. can — to be able to
  21. last — final
  22. foot — a measure
  23. rest — what's left
  24. can — a tin

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