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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. kick — in football
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. court — of law
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. row — a line
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fine — high quality
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. content — happy
  16. content — the amount
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. row — to paddle
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fine — all right
  23. court — for sport
  24. fine — a penalty

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