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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: object · jam · plane · foot · court · bound · kick · rock

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bound — tied together
  6. court — of law
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. court — for sport
  9. object — a thing
  10. bound — certain
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bound — obliged
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rock — a stone
  16. kick — in football
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rock — music
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. court — of a king
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. object — to protest

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