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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. foot — a measure
  5. charge — in control
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. track — a path
  10. charge — a price
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mine — for digging
  13. track — to keep track
  14. scale — size or range
  15. track — a song
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. scale — in music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. charge — electricity
  24. calf — a young animal

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