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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. court — for sport
  4. bound — tied together
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. firm — a company
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. court — of law
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. vault — a safe
  16. firm — decided
  17. bound — obliged
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bound — certain
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — steady
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. hide — animal skin

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