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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 120 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. board — to get on
  3. object — to protest
  4. court — of a king
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. court — for sport
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fork — in a road
  14. present — the time now
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. present — a gift
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — a committee
  20. present — there
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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