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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. foot — a measure
  3. ground — the earth
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. toast — bread
  6. track — to keep track
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. track — a path
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. track — a song
  17. ground — crushed
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. ball — a dance
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. ground — a position
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ball — a great time
  24. straw — a straw man

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