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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. last — to go on
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. scale — size or range
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. scale — in music
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mate — a friend
  14. foot — a measure
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bass — low music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. last — finally
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. last — final
  24. stand — for spectators

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