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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. court — of a king
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mug — a cup
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stock — goods
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. court — for sport
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stock — shares
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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