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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. foot — a measure
  8. deal — to handle
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cold — an illness
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cold — not warm
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bass — low music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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