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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: temple · court · plane · tube · toast · dip · squash · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. court — of a king
  3. foot — a measure
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. squash — the sport
  6. court — of law
  7. tube — a container
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. toast — bread
  14. plane — a tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. tube — the underground
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. court — for sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. dip — to sink

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