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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. march — the month
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. foot — a measure
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. spell — a short time
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rash — hasty
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. toast — bread
  22. rash — a series
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitch — a sports field

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