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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. present — the time now
  4. cap — a hat
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cap — a lid
  7. spell — a short time
  8. foot — a measure
  9. current — of water
  10. suit — clothes
  11. current — happening now
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. suit — to fit
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cap — of ice
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. current — electric
  20. present — a gift
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. present — there
  24. hide — animal skin

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