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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. shower — rain
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fork — in a road
  7. spell — letters
  8. march — music
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pitch — completely
  11. foot — a measure
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. shower — to wash
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. spell — a short time
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. march — the month
  20. pass — a permit
  21. spell — magic
  22. march — the month
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fork — a garden tool

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