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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. face — part of the head
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lean — to bend
  6. craft — boats
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. face — to point toward
  14. foot — a measure
  15. hand — in cards
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. craft — a skill
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. court — for sport
  23. hand — help
  24. court — of law

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