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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. swing — music
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rock — music
  6. court — for sport
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. court — of a king
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. foot — a measure
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. spell — letters
  13. rock — a stone
  14. spell — a short time
  15. swing — to play on
  16. spell — magic
  17. swing — in golf
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. court — of law
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. plane — a 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