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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. toast — bread
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — steady
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lean — to bend
  10. court — for sport
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. firm — decided
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. court — of a king
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. firm — a company
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. lean — thin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. toast — the most admired

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