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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. net — for catching
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. net — in sport
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — for golf
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. snap — to click
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. deal — to handle
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. net — after costs
  22. court — for sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. club — a group

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