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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. suit — clothes
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. capital — a city
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. suit — to fit
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. suit — in cards
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. capital — money
  21. foot — a measure
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. arm — a part of something

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