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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bore — to drill
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chair — a leader
  10. court — of law
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. race — a contest
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stock — goods
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stock — shares
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. race — humankind
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. court — for sport
  24. stock — a soup base

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