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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. mug — a face
  3. court — for sport
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. court — of a king
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stock — goods
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. squash — to crush
  22. lie — to recline
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stock — shares

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