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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. firm — decided
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. firm — a company
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stock — shares
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. tear — from crying
  12. wind — moving air
  13. firm — steady
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rash — a series
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. tear — to rip

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