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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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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: bay · cell · stand · pop · rash · dip · court · club

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rash — a series
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. court — for sport
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — a phone
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. club — for golf
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. court — of a king
  13. club — a group
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pop — soda
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. dip — to sink
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pop — music
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. court — of law
  24. bay — a horse colour

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