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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. sharp — clever
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. foot — a measure
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. court — for sport
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mug — a face
  12. court — of law
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mug — to rob
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. race — a contest
  19. court — of a king
  20. race — the arms race
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. race — humankind

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