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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rash — a series
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. court — of law
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. court — of a king
  13. bound — certain
  14. deal — to handle
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. spring — the season
  18. bound — obliged
  19. spring — of water
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. court — for sport
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. leaves — to go away

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