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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. firm — steady
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. object — to protest
  9. firm — a company
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. firm — decided
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. object — a thing
  19. court — of a king
  20. object — an aim
  21. hand — help
  22. court — for sport
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. board — a committee

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