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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. court — of law
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. court — of a king
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bank — for money
  11. court — for sport
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cold — not warm
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bank — for money
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. mark — a grade
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bass — low music
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bank — of a river

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