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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. sharp — clever
  3. firm — steady
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. court — of law
  9. bore — to tire
  10. court — for sport
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rule — government
  13. firm — a company
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pass — a permit
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pass — to spend time

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