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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. suit — to fit
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rule — a law
  13. mine — for digging
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. rule — government
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. court — of a king
  21. scale — size or range
  22. suit — clothes
  23. scale — in music
  24. pass — a permit

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