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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. court — of a king
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. face — part of the head
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of law
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. craft — boats
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. foot — a measure
  16. face — to confront
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. craft — a skill
  22. face — to point toward
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fan — a supporter

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