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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rule — a law
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. court — of a king
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lean — thin
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rash — a series
  17. court — for sport
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. rest — a break
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rule — government
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lean — to bend

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