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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. spring — the season
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. court — of law
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mug — to rob
  8. can — a tin
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. row — a line
  11. can — to be able to
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spring — a coil
  14. row — to paddle
  15. mug — a face
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. can — a tin
  18. mug — a cup
  19. stand — to bear
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. spring — of water
  22. court — for sport
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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