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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — clothes
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of a king
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stand — to bear
  9. suit — to fit
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. can — a tin
  17. wound — an injury
  18. suit — in cards
  19. can — a tin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. deal — to handle
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. deal — a big deal

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