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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. firm — a company
  4. court — for sport
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. land — a country
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — steady
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. firm — decided
  18. chip — for betting
  19. court — of a king
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. land — to come down
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. land — ground

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