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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. lie — to recline
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. court — of law
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. court — of a king
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mine — for digging
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — for sport
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. suit — in cards

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