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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. firm — steady
  6. field — a subject
  7. firm — decided
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. firm — a company
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. club — for golf
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. field — farmland
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. field — for sport
  20. club — a group
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ruler — for measuring

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