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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. roll — a cake
  4. staff — employees
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. object — to protest
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. foot — a measure
  11. object — a thing
  12. race — a contest
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fine — all right
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bass — low music
  17. race — humankind
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. object — an aim
  20. staff — employees
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. roll — a list
  24. race — the arms race

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