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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. deal — to handle
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. court — of a king
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. court — for sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bass — low music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. bass — the fish

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