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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. kid — child
  6. court — for sport
  7. game — a match
  8. court — of a king
  9. bass — low music
  10. can — to be able to
  11. club — a group
  12. can — a tin
  13. club — for golf
  14. fall — to drop
  15. club — for dancing
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fall — the season
  18. bass — the fish
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. kid — to tease
  21. can — a tin
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fall — to drop

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