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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. clip — a video
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. clip — to cut
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pop — soda
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stand — to bear
  13. clip — for paper
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. object — an aim
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pop — music
  21. object — to protest
  22. foot — a measure
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. object — a thing

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