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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. club — for dancing
  5. court — for sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. court — of law
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. club — for golf
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mark — a trace
  16. can — a tin
  17. branch — a division
  18. club — a group
  19. fall — to drop
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — the season
  24. bore — to drill

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