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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. ground — a position
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ground — crushed
  8. suit — clothes
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. squash — the sport
  12. field — for sport
  13. present — there
  14. field — a subject
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ground — the earth
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. kick — in football
  22. field — farmland
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. suit — in cards

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