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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. key — in music
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bank — for money
  6. clip — for paper
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ball — a great time
  11. key — for a lock
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bulb — for light
  14. kid — child
  15. key — the most important part
  16. clip — a video
  17. foot — a measure
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bank — of a river
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bulb — for light
  23. kid — to tease
  24. tube — a container

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