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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bulb — for light
  8. hand — help
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. swing — to play on
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pitch — completely
  16. key — in music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. key — for a lock
  19. swing — music
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. toast — bread
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. toast — the most admired

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