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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 124 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. court — of a king
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. court — of law
  6. press — to push
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. suit — to fit
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rest — a break
  11. court — for sport
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lie — to recline
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — a publisher
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rest — what's left
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. sharp — exactly

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