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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. suit — clothes
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. track — a song
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — to come from
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. foot — a measure
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chest — of your body
  22. press — to push
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chest — a box

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