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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. suit — in cards
  6. field — for sport
  7. scale — size or range
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. field — farmland
  13. scale — in music
  14. firm — steady
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. field — a subject
  17. row — to paddle
  18. suit — clothes
  19. firm — a company
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. suit — to fit
  23. row — a line
  24. foot — a measure

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