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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: foot · face · racket · ruler · mouse · stand · capital · mark

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. capital — money
  10. stand — to bear
  11. face — to point toward
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. face — to confront
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. capital — a city
  24. mark — a grade

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