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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. roll — a list
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stem — to come from
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stand — to bear
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — for paper
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — to sink
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. clip — a video
  24. foot — a measure

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