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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — for sport
  3. mug — a cup
  4. band — a music group
  5. court — of law
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mug — a face
  8. present — a gift
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. present — the time now
  14. date — the fruit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. present — there
  17. can — a tin
  18. band — a ring
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mouse — for a computer

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