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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. rash — a series
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. board — a committee
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. capital — a city
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pass — a permit
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. board — to get on
  21. capital — money
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mark — to pay attention

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