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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · spring · straw · ground · board · court · fine · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. present — the time now
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. court — of a king
  7. present — there
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. board — to get on
  12. fine — all right
  13. ground — the earth
  14. board — a committee
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. spring — a coil
  17. court — of law
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. court — for sport
  20. ground — crushed
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. ground — a position
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fine — high quality

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