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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 120 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bank — for money
  7. degree — from a university
  8. saw — the tool
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. degree — temperature
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bank — for money
  15. pop — music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. foot — a measure
  19. degree — an amount
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. saw — the tool

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