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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — low music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. court — of law
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. court — for sport
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. court — of a king
  24. foot — a measure

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