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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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. court — of law
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bass — the fish
  5. foot — a measure
  6. march — music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. court — for sport
  10. fall — to drop
  11. object — a thing
  12. court — of a king
  13. object — to protest
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. object — an aim
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fall — the season

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