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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fork — in a road
  3. key — the most important part
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. key — in music
  6. net — for catching
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mark — a grade
  10. roll — a cake
  11. key — for a lock
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. net — in sport
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. foot — a measure
  19. roll — a list
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. band — a music group
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. band — a ring
  24. net — after costs

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