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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. court — for sport
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. can — a tin
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. land — ground
  10. court — of a king
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — to bear
  15. can — to be able to
  16. scale — size or range
  17. can — a tin
  18. land — to come down
  19. lean — thin
  20. court — of law
  21. land — a country
  22. scale — in music
  23. lean — to bend
  24. foot — a measure

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