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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bulb — for light
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. track — a song
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. charge — in control
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cue — a hint
  19. charge — a price
  20. rest — a break
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cue — for pool

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