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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. fine — all right
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ground — the earth
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. band — a music group
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. band — a ring
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cue — for pool
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ground — crushed
  15. cue — a signal
  16. foot — a measure
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. board — a committee
  20. cue — a hint
  21. board — to get on
  22. ground — a position
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hide — animal skin

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