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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — to shout
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. suit — in cards
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. fine — all right
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. suit — to fit
  12. foot — a measure
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. toast — bread
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — clothes
  21. game — a match
  22. season — in sport
  23. game — wild animals
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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