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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fall — the season
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fall — to drop
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. prune — to trim
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. court — of a king
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bear — the animal
  13. content — happy
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. foot — a measure
  18. content — the amount
  19. prune — to trim
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bear — the animal
  23. toast — bread
  24. fall — to drop

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