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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: game · suit · chair · leaves · mouse · straw · foot · cabinet

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. foot — a measure
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. game — wild animals
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chair — a leader
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. game — a match
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. straw — a straw man

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