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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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Word bank
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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fine — high quality
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — a short time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bore — to drill
  10. saw — the tool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pass — a permit
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — to tire
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. scale — in music
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. fine — all right
  24. spell — letters

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