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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rest — what's left
  5. roll — a list
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. bore — to tire
  9. firm — decided
  10. hand — help
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. firm — a company
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rest — a break
  16. court — of a king
  17. bore — to drill
  18. court — for sport
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. roll — a cake
  21. bank — of a river
  22. firm — steady
  23. rest — what's left
  24. hand — part of the body

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