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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: sharp · foot · club · rock · bulb · cabinet · court · present

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rock — a stone
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rock — music
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. present — a gift
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — a measure
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bulb — for light
  16. court — of law
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. court — of a king
  21. club — for golf
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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