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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pop — soda
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bark — to shout
  9. charge — a price
  10. mug — to rob
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. wind — moving air
  14. charge — in control
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. mug — a face
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pop — music
  22. plane — a tool
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pop — to visit

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