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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mark — a trace
  5. court — of law
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pass — a permit
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — a tin
  15. content — the amount
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. content — happy
  24. court — for 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