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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: wake · bound · firm · court · kick · mark · fine · mate

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mate — a friend
  3. court — of a king
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mark — a grade
  6. firm — a company
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. firm — steady
  9. fine — all right
  10. court — of law
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mate — a partner
  13. fine — high quality
  14. court — for sport
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bound — certain
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. mate — to breed

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