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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: squash · lean · bay · rock · foot · temple · craft · court

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. craft — boats
  3. rock — music
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. lean — thin
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rock — a stone
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. court — of a king
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lean — to bend
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. squash — the sport
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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