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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. tube — the underground
  7. face — to point toward
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. face — part of the head
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — a container
  15. foot — a measure
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wake — a trail
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. face — to confront
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. hide — to keep secret

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