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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. court — of a king
  3. rock — a stone
  4. court — for sport
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. club — a group
  7. mug — to rob
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. court — of law
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — obliged
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. club — for golf
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bound — certain
  19. rock — music
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. club — for dancing
  22. mug — a cup
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. rock — to move gently

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