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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. foot — a measure
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wound — an injury
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mark — a trace
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pit — a hole
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. root — of a word
  14. saw — the tool
  15. root — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. root — the cause
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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