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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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. foot — a measure
  4. object — an aim
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — for a lock
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. perch — the fish
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. key — the most important part
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. key — in music
  16. last — final
  17. last — to go on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. last — finally
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. object — a thing
  22. plane — a tool
  23. object — to protest
  24. plane — in geometry

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