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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. court — of law
  10. dip — to sink
  11. drill — the tool
  12. suit — in cards
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. suit — to fit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. drill — a practice
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. drill — army training
  23. squash — the sport
  24. court — for 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