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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rest — a break
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — a stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rock — music
  22. pound — a weight
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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