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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. court — of a king
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rest — a break
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. court — for sport
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a dance
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. current — of water
  16. rest — what's left
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. current — electric
  19. court — of law
  20. current — happening now
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — a measure
  24. nail — for a hammer

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