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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pop — to visit
  3. firm — steady
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. firm — decided
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. pop — soda
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pop — music
  20. date — the fruit
  21. lie — to recline
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  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