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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rule — government
  5. court — for sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fall — the season
  9. content — the amount
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. court — of a king
  14. lie — to recline
  15. firm — decided
  16. capital — money
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. capital — a city
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. content — happy
  24. lie — an untruth

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