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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. present — a gift
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pit — in a race
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. present — there
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chair — a leader
  14. deal — to handle
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spell — a short time
  17. foot — a measure
  18. spell — magic
  19. present — the time now
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pit — a hole
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. spell — letters
  24. cabinet — ministers

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