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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. sharp — clever
  3. court — of a king
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stock — goods
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. court — for sport
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. present — there
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — shares
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. present — the time now
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bear — the animal
  24. present — a gift

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