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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. march — the month
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. content — the amount
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. row — a line
  14. fall — to drop
  15. row — to paddle
  16. march — music
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. march — the month
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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