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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — clothes
  3. staff — employees
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. drill — a practice
  6. court — for sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rest — a break
  12. drill — army training
  13. suit — in cards
  14. staff — a stick
  15. court — of law
  16. court — of a king
  17. roll — a cake
  18. ball — a great time
  19. drill — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. roll — a list
  22. ball — a dance
  23. kick — in football
  24. rest — what's left

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