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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ball — a dance
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — for sport
  7. drill — army training
  8. stock — shares
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. court — of law
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a face
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stock — goods
  24. stand — for spectators

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