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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. firm — decided
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. firm — a company
  8. track — to keep track
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. firm — steady
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of law
  13. track — a song
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. court — of a king
  18. tube — a container
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. hand — in cards
  22. track — a path
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. tube — the underground

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