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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. spring — of water
  5. firm — steady
  6. pit — in a race
  7. court — of law
  8. stand — to bear
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. firm — a company
  11. court — for sport
  12. spring — a coil
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — decided
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. spring — the season

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