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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pitch — completely
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. face — to confront
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — low music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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