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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. court — of a king
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. tear — from crying
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bark — to shout
  11. stand — to bear
  12. object — an aim
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. court — of law
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. object — to protest
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a leader
  23. object — a thing
  24. deal — a big deal

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