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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: date · bulb · foot · deal · straw · plane · court · jam

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bulb — for light
  4. court — of a king
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. deal — to handle
  16. court — for sport
  17. plane — a tool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. court — of law
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. date — the fruit
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. jam — a tight spot

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