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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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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: wound · stick · bear · rule · fork · court · firm · fine

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — for sport
  3. firm — decided
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — steady
  13. rule — government
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fine — all right
  16. firm — a company
  17. rule — a law
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. court — of a king

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