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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. face — to confront
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. row — a line
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. tube — the underground
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stand — to bear
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. face — part of the head
  14. saw — the tool
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. track — to keep track
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mate — a friend
  21. face — to point toward
  22. track — a path
  23. tube — a container
  24. track — a song

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