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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. net — for catching
  4. present — there
  5. bound — tied together
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. net — after costs
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ball — a great time
  10. scale — size or range
  11. present — a gift
  12. suit — to fit
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. court — for sport
  16. bound — certain
  17. mark — a grade
  18. court — of law
  19. bound — obliged
  20. present — the time now
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mark — a trace
  23. court — of a king
  24. net — in sport

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