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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. clip — for paper
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. last — finally
  6. chip — to eat
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. clip — to cut
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. chip — for betting
  13. last — final
  14. foot — a measure
  15. clip — a video
  16. key — the most important part
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. last — to go on
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. sharp — exactly

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