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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lean — thin
  5. court — of a king
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — a measure
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fine — all right
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. game — a match
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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