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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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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. court — of a king
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. mark — a trace
  6. can — to be able to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. can — a tin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. band — a ring
  13. rest — a break
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. can — a tin
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. mark — a grade
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. rest — what's left
  22. branch — a division
  23. court — for sport
  24. suit — clothes

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