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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The kitten curled into 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. rush — to hurry
  3. fine — all right
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ground — the earth
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. ground — a position
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ball — a round shape

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