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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. court — of a king
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bound — certain
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. court — of law
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stem — to come from
  21. key — for a lock
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. court — for sport

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