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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wind — moving air
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pit — in a race
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. track — a path
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pit — a hole
  17. track — a song
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. wind — moving air
  24. track — to keep track

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