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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 120 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cell — a phone
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cell — in biology
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bulb — for light
  21. capital — money
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. capital — a city
  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