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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lean — to bend
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — of law
  10. bank — of a river
  11. tear — to rip
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bank — for money
  20. lie — to recline
  21. court — for sport
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. tear — from crying

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