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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pass — a permit
  5. field — farmland
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. roll — a cake
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. chip — for betting
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. field — for sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. field — a subject
  20. roll — a list
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. foot — a measure
  24. temple — side of the head

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