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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cue — a hint
  4. firm — a company
  5. cap — a hat
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cap — of ice
  12. court — for sport
  13. firm — decided
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. court — of law
  17. tear — to rip
  18. dip — to sink
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. cue — a signal
  24. firm — steady

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