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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 120 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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. firm — decided
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. present — the time now
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. season — of the year
  10. court — of law
  11. sharp — clever
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. firm — a company
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. present — there
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — steady
  19. present — a gift
  20. season — in sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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