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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. present — a gift
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. present — there
  23. cell — a phone
  24. present — the time now

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