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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. foot — a measure
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. court — of a king
  6. squash — the sport
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. court — for sport
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. squash — to crush
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. court — of law
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. plane — a tool

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