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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. prune — to trim
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — in sport
  5. mark — a trace
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. court — for sport
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. net — for catching
  18. mug — to rob
  19. court — of law
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  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