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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 116 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. kid — child
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a music group
  6. object — a thing
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. court — for sport
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. band — a ring
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — a container
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. tube — the underground
  18. object — to protest
  19. kid — to tease
  20. lie — to recline
  21. object — an aim
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. court — of law
  24. lie — an untruth

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