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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. race — a contest
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. race — humankind
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. race — the arms race
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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