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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. file — a tool
  5. last — finally
  6. suit — in cards
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. last — final
  9. cue — a hint
  10. file — a document
  11. foot — a measure
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cue — a signal
  14. last — to go on
  15. roll — a cake
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pop — to visit
  18. roll — a list
  19. cue — for pool
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — soda
  24. saw — the tool

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