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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mug — a cup
  4. court — of a king
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mug — a face
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mug — to rob
  14. date — the fruit
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. track — a song
  19. bound — certain
  20. file — a tool
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a leader
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. file — a document

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