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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. current — electric
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. dip — to sink
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. current — of water
  13. foot — a measure
  14. current — happening now
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rock — music
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pitch — completely
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mouse — for a computer

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