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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ball — a dance
  14. toast — bread
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. fall — to drop
  22. court — of a king
  23. ball — a great time
  24. temple — a place of worship

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