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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. firm — decided
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — child
  8. firm — steady
  9. court — of law
  10. bore — to tire
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bore — to drill
  21. court — for sport
  22. firm — a company
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — to fit

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