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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mug — a cup
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mug — a face
  8. firm — decided
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rest — what's left
  11. firm — a company
  12. court — for sport
  13. firm — steady
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. court — of law
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rest — a break
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lash — an eyelash

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