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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. net — for catching
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. net — after costs
  6. court — of law
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. court — of a king
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. squash — the sport
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. squash — to crush
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. court — for sport
  17. plane — a tool
  18. net — in sport
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — a measure
  24. key — for a lock

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