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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — for sport
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. object — to protest
  5. branch — a division
  6. object — an aim
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bound — certain
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cue — a hint
  12. court — of law
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cue — a signal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. object — a thing
  23. pound — a weight
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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