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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kid — child
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. kid — to tease
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — music
  12. can — to be able to
  13. land — a country
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — ground
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. suit — to fit
  18. can — a tin
  19. land — to come down
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. leaves — to go away

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