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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ball — a great time
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — government
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — in football
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. object — to protest
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. rule — a law
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. ball — a round shape

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