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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. band — a music group
  6. net — in sport
  7. foot — a measure
  8. scale — in music
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. net — after costs
  14. pass — a permit
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cap — a hat
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. band — a ring
  21. net — for catching
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cap — a lid
  24. stand — to bear

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