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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. suit — in cards
  4. court — for sport
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. suit — to fit
  7. current — electric
  8. prune — to trim
  9. suit — clothes
  10. court — of law
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. current — happening now
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. court — of a king
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. foot — a measure
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — of water
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pass — a permit
  24. scale — for weighing

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