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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bat · arm · lean · court · chair · staff · track

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. court — of a king
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. track — a song
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. court — for sport
  15. chair — a leader
  16. court — of law
  17. bat — the animal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. track — a path
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. staff — employees
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. arm — part of the body

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