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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. court — of a king
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mate — a friend
  6. court — for sport
  7. dip — to sink
  8. march — the month
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mate — to breed
  14. saw — the tool
  15. march — music
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mate — a partner
  20. court — of law
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. march — the month

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