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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. court — of a king
  7. pop — music
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bound — tied together
  10. present — there
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. court — of law
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. suit — in cards
  17. present — a gift
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. court — for sport
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bulb — for light

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