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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. spell — a short time
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. spell — magic
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lean — thin
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. fork — in a road
  14. tube — a container
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fine — all right
  18. spell — letters
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. foot — a measure
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fork — to eat with

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