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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. court — of a king
  5. fine — all right
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bass — low music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. march — the month
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. march — the month
  14. bass — the fish
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. court — for sport
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chest — a box
  22. chest — of your body
  23. march — music
  24. chest — of your 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