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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mug — a face
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. land — a country
  7. mate — to breed
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cue — a hint
  10. chest — of your body
  11. cue — for pool
  12. chest — of your body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chest — a box
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. land — to come down
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cue — a signal
  22. land — ground
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mate — a partner

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