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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. court — of law
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bass — low music
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. file — a tool
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. court — for sport
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. file — a document
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. file — a line of people
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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