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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. toast — bread
  7. court — for sport
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pop — music
  10. roll — a list
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. court — of a king
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. court — of law
  18. pop — soda
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. roll — a cake
  22. foot — a measure
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pop — to visit

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