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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: foot · current · court · season · hide · mouse · date · chair

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. court — of law
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. season — of the year
  6. chair — a leader
  7. current — happening now
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. date — the fruit
  17. season — in sport
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. court — for sport
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. court — of a king
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. date — on the calendar

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