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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bound — obliged
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bore — to drill
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stand — to bear
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chair — a leader
  17. court — for sport
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. bound — tied together
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bound — certain
  24. jam — a tight spot

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