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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. race — the arms race
  3. foot — a measure
  4. race — a contest
  5. kid — child
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. scale — in music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. can — a tin
  11. scale — size or range
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. land — a country
  18. can — to be able to
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. kick — in football
  22. race — humankind
  23. kid — to tease
  24. can — a tin

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