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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: lean · lash · cell · sharp · bay · pop · court · foot

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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. cell — in biology
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. court — of a king
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pop — soda
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. court — for sport
  18. cell — a phone
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. court — of law
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — thin
  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