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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 · object · prune · leaves · bound · court · bowl · foot

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bound — certain
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. object — to protest
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. court — for sport
  9. prune — to trim
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. object — a thing
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bound — obliged
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bound — tied together
  17. court — of a king
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. object — an aim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. court — of law
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bowl — a dish

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