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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. club — for dancing
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. firm — decided
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. club — for golf
  8. degree — temperature
  9. firm — steady
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. fork — in a road
  15. foot — a measure
  16. court — of a king
  17. club — a group
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. degree — an amount
  21. firm — a company
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. degree — from a university

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