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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. staff — a stick
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — in a race
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bear — the animal
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. staff — employees
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pit — a hole
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lie — to recline

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