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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. object — to protest
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. object — a thing
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. chip — for betting
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. court — of a king
  14. toast — bread
  15. court — for sport
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. foot — a measure
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. object — an aim
  24. chip — to eat

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