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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. court — of law
  2. suit — in cards
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. last — finally
  8. content — the amount
  9. last — to go on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. court — of a king
  12. swing — music
  13. suit — clothes
  14. swing — to play on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. content — happy
  20. last — final
  21. court — for sport
  22. chip — to eat
  23. suit — to fit
  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