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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — of law
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. court — for sport
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. drill — a practice
  7. branch — a division
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bass — low music
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. drill — army training
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rush — hurry
  24. branch — of a tree

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