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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rule — a law
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mug — a cup
  6. snap — to click
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rule — government
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. court — of law
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. court — for sport
  20. mug — a face
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. wound — an injury
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mug — to rob

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