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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — a match
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. court — of a king
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. fine — all right
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. game — wild animals
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fine — high quality
  20. court — for sport
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pass — a permit

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