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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. court — of a king
  3. row — a line
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. suit — clothes
  10. foot — a measure
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. rash — a series
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. court — for sport
  16. row — to paddle
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rash — hasty
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. court — of law
  24. chip — for betting

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