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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: cell · fine · wound · suit · row · court · roll · rush

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. suit — clothes
  3. roll — a list
  4. cell — in biology
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. fine — high quality
  7. court — for sport
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fine — all right
  11. court — of a king
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. wound — an injury
  18. row — a line
  19. cell — a phone
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. court — of law
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. row — a quarrel

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