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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bass — the fish
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — a trace
  7. content — the amount
  8. press — newspapers
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. court — of law
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bass — low music
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. mark — a grade
  19. content — happy
  20. key — for a lock
  21. press — to push
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. court — for sport

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