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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. court — of law
  3. staff — employees
  4. court — of a king
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — bread
  7. date — the fruit
  8. court — for sport
  9. scale — in music
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. staff — employees
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. deal — to handle
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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