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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. last — to go on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. last — finally
  8. pop — music
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. dip — to sink
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bat — the animal
  15. pop — to visit
  16. last — final
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pop — soda
  24. bear — the animal

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