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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rock — music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mate — a friend
  8. staff — employees
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — a stone
  12. staff — a stick
  13. court — of a king
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. court — for sport
  18. face — to point toward
  19. staff — employees
  20. mate — to breed
  21. face — to confront
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. face — part of the head

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