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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. kick — in football
  2. last — finally
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. present — there
  6. stock — shares
  7. face — to point toward
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. last — to go on
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rock — music
  14. stock — goods
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. last — final
  18. foot — a measure
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. face — to confront
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rock — a stone
  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