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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 116 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. row — a line
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. ground — crushed
  12. court — for sport
  13. row — to paddle
  14. ground — a position
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wax — to grow
  17. fine — all right
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rash — a series
  21. court — of law
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rash — hasty

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