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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: saw · foot · craft · press · squash · court · temple · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. court — of a king
  6. squash — the sport
  7. craft — boats
  8. saw — the tool
  9. press — to push
  10. craft — a skill
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. suit — clothes
  15. court — of law
  16. court — for sport
  17. press — a publisher
  18. saw — the tool
  19. press — newspapers
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. squash — to crush
  23. suit — in cards
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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