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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lean — thin
  6. pit — in a race
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wake — a trail
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. drill — army training
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pit — a hole
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mate — a friend
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. snap — to click
  24. drill — a practice

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