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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 120 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. lean — to bend
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rock — music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. hand — help
  11. court — for sport
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. kick — in football
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lean — thin
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. hand — in cards
  24. kick — a thrill

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