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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: staff · court · foot · wound · bowl · stock · straw · lie

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. lie — to recline
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. court — of law
  10. stock — goods
  11. staff — employees
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. staff — employees
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. foot — a measure
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. staff — a stick
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — for sport
  24. stock — shares

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