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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: wave · lean · stock · bowl · safe · foot · court · leaves

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. lean — thin
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. court — of law
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stock — goods
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. court — of a king
  17. stock — shares
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. foot — a measure
  21. court — for sport
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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