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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. spring — a coil
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. kick — in football
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. wake — a trail
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. spring — of water
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. stand — to bear
  15. court — of a king
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. deal — to handle
  18. court — for sport
  19. object — to protest
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. spring — the season
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cabinet — ministers

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