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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · pit · firm · lean · land · kid · foot · ruler

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kid — to tease
  3. pit — a hole
  4. kid — child
  5. pop — music
  6. land — to come down
  7. lean — to bend
  8. land — a country
  9. foot — a measure
  10. firm — steady
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pop — soda
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pop — to visit
  17. firm — a company
  18. land — ground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lean — thin
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. firm — decided

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