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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. club — for golf
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spell — a short time
  7. object — to protest
  8. court — of law
  9. firm — steady
  10. club — a group
  11. court — of a king
  12. firm — decided
  13. mark — a trace
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — to sink
  16. spell — magic
  17. mark — a grade
  18. club — for dancing
  19. spell — letters
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. object — an aim
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. firm — a company
  24. object — a thing

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