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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. court — of law
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mug — a cup
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. court — of a king
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. club — for golf
  14. mug — a face
  15. can — a tin
  16. bore — to drill
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mug — to rob
  19. court — for sport
  20. club — a group
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a great time
  24. arm — part of the body

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