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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. firm — a company
  4. rash — hasty
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — steady
  10. cold — an illness
  11. fine — high quality
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — in music
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. fine — all right
  17. cold — not warm
  18. rash — a series
  19. foot — a measure
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. key — the most important part
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. firm — decided

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