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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ball — a great time
  3. foot — a measure
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — there
  6. last — final
  7. root — of a plant
  8. present — a gift
  9. last — to go on
  10. root — of a word
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. present — the time now
  17. last — finally
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. hand — in cards
  22. ball — a dance
  23. root — the cause
  24. ruler — for measuring

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