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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. court — for sport
  3. mine — for digging
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. court — of law
  13. charge — in control
  14. court — of a king
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. suit — to fit
  24. charge — a price

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