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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. court — of a king
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. suit — clothes
  10. shower — to wash
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. court — for sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — a weight
  17. suit — to fit
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. net — after costs
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. shower — rain
  24. court — of 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