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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. snap — to click
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bass — low music
  15. rule — government
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pass — a permit
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bass — the instrument

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