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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: squash · court · firm · lie · rush · pound · saw · fork

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. court — of law
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pound — a weight
  11. court — for sport
  12. firm — a company
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — steady
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pound — to hit hard

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