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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bank — for money
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. court — of law
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. court — for sport
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. march — the month
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bank — of a river

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