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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pass — a permit
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. kick — in football
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chip — to eat
  17. craft — boats
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ground — crushed
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — the bottom

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