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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. rash — hasty
  3. file — a line of people
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. rash — a series
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rock — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. foot — a measure
  13. file — a tool
  14. rock — a stone
  15. face — to point toward
  16. band — a ring
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. face — part of the head
  22. file — a document
  23. face — to confront
  24. band — a music group

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