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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. court — for sport
  6. firm — decided
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chip — to eat
  11. club — a group
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. club — for golf
  14. pitch — completely
  15. court — of a king
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lean — to rest against

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