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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. net — in sport
  4. cap — of ice
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. net — for catching
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. present — there
  20. capital — a city
  21. net — after costs
  22. toast — bread
  23. bear — the animal
  24. capital — money

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