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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. net — for catching
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. suit — clothes
  5. roll — a list
  6. rule — government
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — the sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. suit — in cards
  12. court — for sport
  13. net — in sport
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. suit — to fit
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chest — a box
  23. roll — a cake
  24. chest — of your body

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