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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. court — of law
  3. court — for sport
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rock — a stone
  8. content — happy
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rock — music
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bore — to drill
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rush — hurry
  16. content — the amount
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. court — of a king
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fall — the season
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. cabinet — ministers

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