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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. court — of a king
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. court — of law
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. foot — a measure
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — in football
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. court — for sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hide — animal skin

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