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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. cell — a phone
  3. court — of a king
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cell — in biology
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. object — a thing
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. court — of law
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. court — for sport
  19. cue — a signal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rock — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stand — to bear

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