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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. mate — a partner
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rush — hurry
  8. chest — a box
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. key — in music
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. chest — of your body

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