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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. kick — in football
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rash — hasty
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rash — a series
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. stem — to come from
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. chest — a box
  14. rush — hurry
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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