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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. stand — on your feet
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. court — of a king
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. court — for sport
  7. ground — a position
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mate — a partner
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. swing — music
  14. mate — a friend
  15. court — of law
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mate — to breed
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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