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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · cap · can · sharp · lie · court · roll · mug

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. can — a tin
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lie — to recline
  5. court — for sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mug — a face
  8. court — of a king
  9. mug — to rob
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cap — of ice
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cap — a hat
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. can — a tin
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cap — a lid
  21. sharp — clever
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. roll — on a roll

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