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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. chest — of your body
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. chest — a box
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. band — a ring
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. drill — army training
  15. court — for sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. drill — a practice
  18. court — of a king
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lie — to recline
  23. chest — of your body
  24. lie — an untruth

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