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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. court — of a king
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. court — for sport
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. court — of law
  18. wax — to grow
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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