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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. saw — the tool
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. firm — decided
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. object — an aim
  10. firm — a company
  11. pit — a hole
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pit — in a race
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wake — a trail
  17. face — part of the head
  18. object — a thing
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. object — to protest
  22. saw — the tool
  23. foot — a measure
  24. firm — steady

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