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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — of law
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. degree — an amount
  9. court — for sport
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. degree — from a university
  24. lie — an untruth

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