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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — of law
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bass — the fish
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. roll — a cake
  10. dip — to sink
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. mine — for digging
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bass — low music
  15. bank — for money
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bank — of a river
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bank — for money
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. court — for sport

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