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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — for sport
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. court — of a king
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. chest — of your body
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. lean — thin
  11. board — to get on
  12. chest — a box
  13. board — a committee
  14. chest — of your body
  15. track — a song
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. track — a path
  19. foot — a measure
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. track — to keep track
  24. racket — a loud noise

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