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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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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: bay · foot · swing · court · object · plane · bound · fork

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. object — to protest
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bound — obliged
  8. swing — music
  9. object — an aim
  10. bound — tied together
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. court — for sport
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. swing — to play on
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. court — of law
  20. object — a thing
  21. court — of a king
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. foot — the bottom

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