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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. foot — a measure
  7. cue — a hint
  8. snap — to click
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — for digging
  12. cue — for pool
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cue — a signal
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. trunk — of a car

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