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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. ball — a great time
  6. suit — to fit
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rash — a series
  15. court — for sport
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bear — the animal
  19. court — of law
  20. deal — to handle
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rash — hasty
  23. court — of a king
  24. ball — a dance

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