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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 ball is in your ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. court — for sport
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. present — the time now
  6. mate — to breed
  7. suit — to fit
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mate — a friend
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. rush — hurry
  14. court — of law
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mate — a partner
  21. chip — for betting
  22. court — of a king
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. rush — a thrill

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