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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. court — of a king
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. present — there
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bank — for money
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. present — the time now
  10. court — of law
  11. bound — tied together
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitch — completely
  19. court — for sport
  20. bound — certain
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. race — humankind
  23. fine — all right
  24. bank — for money

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