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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 124 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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. court — of a king
  5. rush — hurry
  6. squash — the sport
  7. court — of law
  8. squash — to crush
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — a grade
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. mine — for digging
  14. firm — decided
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. suit — clothes

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