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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — to tire
  4. can — to be able to
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. club — for golf
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. club — a group
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lie — to recline
  14. club — for dancing
  15. hand — in cards
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. hand — help
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — of a king
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. can — a tin
  23. court — for sport
  24. stand — on your feet

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