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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rule — a law
  3. court — of a king
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rule — government
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fall — to drop
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fall — the season
  22. court — of law
  23. bowl — a football final
  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