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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. prune — to trim
  3. foot — a measure
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. prune — to trim
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. board — to get on
  14. pound — a weight
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rush — hurry
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. board — a committee
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. perch — for a bird

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