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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. court — of a king
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lie — to recline
  6. dip — to sink
  7. court — of law
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. court — for sport
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — to rob
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. can — a tin
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — an untruth

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