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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. court — of a king
  3. object — an aim
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. foot — a measure
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pitch — completely
  17. court — of law
  18. object — to protest
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. court — for sport
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. object — a thing

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