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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. object — to protest
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. court — for sport
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rest — a break
  10. kid — child
  11. court — of law
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bear — the animal
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fine — high quality
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. object — an aim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rest — what's left
  22. court — of a king
  23. rest — what's left
  24. object — a thing

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