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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. rock — a stone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ball — a great time
  5. suit — clothes
  6. court — of law
  7. ball — a dance
  8. suit — to fit
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rock — music
  12. land — ground
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. branch — a division
  16. deal — to handle
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. land — a country
  19. suit — in cards
  20. court — of a king
  21. land — to come down
  22. court — for sport
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. branch — of a bank

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