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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. court — of a king
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rash — hasty
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. kid — child
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. ground — a position
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ground — crushed
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. rash — a series
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. court — of law
  19. ground — the earth
  20. court — for sport
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. kid — to tease

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