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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. court — of a king
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. object — an aim
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pound — a weight
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. cap — a hat
  13. court — of law
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. fine — high quality
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — in music
  20. cap — of ice
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — to protest
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — for sport

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