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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · vault · tear · court · march · cue

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. tear — to rip
  3. foot — a measure
  4. court — of a king
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cue — for pool
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cue — a signal
  9. march — music
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. court — for sport
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. vault — a safe
  14. march — the month
  15. tear — from crying
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cue — a hint
  18. march — the month

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