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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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. chip — for betting
  3. court — for sport
  4. suit — clothes
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. spell — letters
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chip — to eat
  18. lie — to recline
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — a short time
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. row — a line

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