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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pound — a weight
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chest — a box
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. chest — of your body
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. chest — of your body
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. sharp — with an edge

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