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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. foot — a measure
  4. drill — army training
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pit — in a race
  7. last — to go on
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pit — a hole
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. last — finally
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. drill — the tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. drill — a practice
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. last — final
  24. straw — a straw man

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