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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. stand — to bear
  3. court — of law
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rock — a stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. court — for sport
  12. rock — music
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — to eat
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wound — an injury
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. chip — in 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