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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 120 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 ball is in your ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — for sport
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. deal — to handle
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rule — government
  18. rock — music
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. court — of law
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bank — for money
  24. rule — a law

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