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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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Word bank
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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: firm · suit · wound · pass · bore · present · ball · court

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. suit — clothes
  5. present — the time now
  6. pass — a permit
  7. court — of a king
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. firm — decided
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — to fit
  18. court — of law
  19. firm — a company
  20. court — for sport
  21. present — a gift
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. firm — steady
  24. present — there

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