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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. land — to come down
  3. pop — to visit
  4. club — for dancing
  5. land — a country
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. club — for golf
  9. face — to point toward
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. club — a group
  12. deal — to handle
  13. can — a tin
  14. land — ground
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — soda
  17. can — a tin
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. can — to be able to
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pop — music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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