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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. court — of law
  3. lean — to bend
  4. firm — steady
  5. roll — a list
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. firm — a company
  11. court — for sport
  12. firm — decided
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ball — a dance
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. squash — to crush
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. court — of a king
  21. roll — a cake
  22. lean — thin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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