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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fall — to drop
  7. drill — a practice
  8. fall — the season
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ground — crushed
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. ground — the earth
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rash — hasty
  17. drill — the tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rash — a series
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. drill — army training
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ground — a position

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