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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bank — of a river
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — humankind
  5. firm — a company
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. firm — decided
  12. court — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. firm — steady
  16. game — wild animals
  17. court — of law
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. race — the arms race
  20. game — a match
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bank — for money

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