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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. foot — a measure
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. staff — employees
  7. can — a tin
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. can — a tin
  17. stand — to bear
  18. can — to be able to
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. staff — employees
  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