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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. present — there
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. swing — to play on
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. fall — to drop
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fall — the season
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. present — the time now
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. swing — music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. swing — in golf
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fork — in a road
  24. present — a gift

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