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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. court — of a king
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. court — for sport
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. branch — a division
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. scale — size or range
  10. club — a group
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stand — to bear
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. fine — all right
  15. pass — a permit
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. scale — in music
  18. club — for golf
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. court — of law
  23. snap — to click
  24. fine — a penalty

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