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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. wake — a trail
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cue — a signal
  14. chest — a box
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. court — for sport
  19. pass — a permit
  20. chest — of your body
  21. court — of law
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chest — of your body

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