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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ball — a dance
  9. last — finally
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. current — happening now
  13. ball — a great time
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. charge — in control
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. charge — electricity
  18. current — electric
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. charge — a price
  22. saw — the tool
  23. current — of water
  24. present — a gift

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