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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chest — of your body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — to recline
  12. chair — a leader
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. chest — a box
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. track — a song
  23. mine — for digging
  24. lie — an untruth

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