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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of a king
  5. firm — steady
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — a company
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. firm — decided
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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