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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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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: board · foot · court · root · bay · safe · temple · nail

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of a king
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. board — a committee
  14. root — of a plant
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. root — the cause
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. court — of law
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. root — of a word
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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