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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.

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: foot · fall · craft · temple · court · staff · key · net

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. key — the most important part
  4. court — of law
  5. net — in sport
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. net — for catching
  8. staff — employees
  9. craft — boats
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. fall — to drop
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. net — after costs
  14. court — for sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. staff — a stick
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. key — for a lock
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fall — the season
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. staff — employees
  23. foot — a measure
  24. court — of a king

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