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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — in sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. suit — clothes
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. club — for dancing
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. club — for golf
  16. season — of the year
  17. club — a group
  18. foot — a measure

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