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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. toast — bread
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. shower — to wash
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. court — of law
  9. shower — rain
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mate — a partner
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stand — to bear
  18. foot — a measure
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of a king
  21. mate — to breed
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bowl — a dish

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