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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rash — a series
  5. foot — a measure
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. track — a song
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. track — a path
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rash — hasty
  15. track — to keep track
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. plane — a tool
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pitcher — a jug

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