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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. chair — a leader
  3. perch — the fish
  4. ball — a dance
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. present — a gift
  9. court — of law
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ground — the earth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ground — crushed
  18. court — of a king
  19. present — there
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. ball — a great time
  22. court — for sport
  23. ground — a position
  24. suit — clothes

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