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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. shower — rain
  4. staff — employees
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bass — low music
  9. track — a path
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mate — to breed
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. staff — employees
  22. track — to keep track
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. track — a song

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