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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bear — the animal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stock — goods
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bank — for money
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — a jug

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