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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. face — part of the head
  3. court — of a king
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bank — for money
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bank — for money
  10. net — in sport
  11. march — music
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pit — in a race
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. net — for catching
  17. march — the month
  18. court — for sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. march — the month
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. court — of law

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