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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. staff — a stick
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. lean — thin
  7. foot — a measure
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. staff — employees
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. net — for catching
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. net — after costs
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. lean — to bend
  22. staff — employees
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. dip — a sauce

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