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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cap — a lid
  3. ball — a dance
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. cap — of ice
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ball — a great time
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cap — a hat
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — of law
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. saw — the tool
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. branch — a division
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. court — for sport
  24. saw — the tool

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