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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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. rush — hurry
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ball — a great time
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. court — of law
  9. ball — a dance
  10. court — of a king
  11. root — the cause
  12. foot — a measure
  13. root — of a word
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. root — of a plant
  16. hand — help
  17. court — for sport
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stand — to bear
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. stand — on your feet
  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