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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.

Make a worksheet

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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. dip — to sink
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ball — a great time
  5. squash — the sport
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mark — a trace
  8. foot — a measure
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. ball — a dance
  14. court — for sport
  15. mark — a grade
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. court — of a king
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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