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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. ground — the earth
  5. foot — a measure
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. drill — army training
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. ground — a position
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pound — a weight
  20. drill — a practice
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. track — a path
  24. pound — for dogs

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