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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. firm — steady
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. court — of a king
  5. season — of the year
  6. court — of law
  7. mate — a partner
  8. board — a committee
  9. mate — a friend
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. firm — decided
  13. fall — the season
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fork — in a road
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. season — in sport
  21. board — to get on
  22. firm — a company
  23. mate — to breed
  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