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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. court — for sport
  3. pop — to visit
  4. court — of law
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pop — soda
  9. rock — music
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — to fit
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pop — music
  18. suit — in cards
  19. staff — employees
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rush — hurry
  22. face — to confront
  23. rest — a break
  24. court — of a king

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