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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. chip — to eat
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. club — for golf
  6. court — of a king
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ball — a great time
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tube — a container
  14. firm — decided
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. club — a group
  18. court — for sport
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. deal — to handle

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