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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mark — a trace
  3. court — of a king
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bound — obliged
  7. court — for sport
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bound — tied together
  11. net — for catching
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. net — after costs
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. court — of law
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bound — certain
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. net — in 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