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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.

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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: mug · fine · foot · straw · root · court · stand · cell

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. root — the cause
  6. court — of law
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. court — of a king
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. root — of a word
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mug — to rob
  15. fine — all right
  16. foot — a measure
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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