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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 120 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. tube — a container
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a cup
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mug — a face
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ground — a position
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. tube — the underground
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. snap — to click
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ground — the earth
  24. tube — in a tire

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