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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. tube — a container
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. court — of a king
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. court — of law
  11. craft — boats
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. tube — the underground
  15. perch — the fish
  16. court — for sport
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. foot — a measure
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. stand — to bear
  24. perch — for a bird

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