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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. content — the amount
  5. chest — of your body
  6. can — a tin
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bear — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. can — to be able to
  12. content — happy
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chest — of your body
  15. ground — a position
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. chest — a box
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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