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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. fall — to drop
  3. court — of law
  4. firm — steady
  5. suit — to fit
  6. roll — a cake
  7. fall — the season
  8. firm — a company
  9. rule — government
  10. court — for sport
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. suit — in cards
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. firm — decided
  15. roll — a list
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. suit — clothes
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. court — of a king
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rule — a law

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