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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rash — a series
  7. object — a thing
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. foot — a measure
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rash — hasty
  21. spell — magic
  22. scale — in music
  23. spell — letters
  24. mouse — the 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