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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mark — a grade
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cap — of ice
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. craft — boats
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. craft — a skill
  18. face — to confront
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. plane — a tool
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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