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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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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: court · foot · chair · scale · track · stand · bear · rest

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. court — of law
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. chair — a leader
  10. rest — a break
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. court — of a king
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. track — a song
  15. foot — a measure
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. court — for sport
  19. track — a path
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chair — a professorship

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