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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. court — of a king
  3. rest — what's left
  4. squash — the sport
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — in cards
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. saw — the tool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. march — the month
  15. rest — a break
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rest — what's left
  18. suit — to fit
  19. court — of law
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fall — to drop
  24. court — for sport

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