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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. fine — all right
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. board — a committee
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. court — of law
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. roll — a list
  19. court — of a king
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. board — to get on
  22. rash — a series
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fine — high quality

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