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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. court — of a king
  3. march — the month
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ground — the earth
  6. court — for sport
  7. bound — obliged
  8. object — an aim
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. lean — thin
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. march — music
  15. court — of law
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. object — to protest
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ground — a position
  21. object — a thing
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. march — the month
  24. lean — to bend

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