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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 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. club — for golf
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. court — of a king
  8. foot — a measure
  9. court — of law
  10. track — to keep track
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. club — for dancing
  13. track — a song
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. perch — the fish
  22. club — a group
  23. track — a path
  24. court — for sport

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