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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 120 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: key · stand · fine · deal · suit · game · shower · court

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fine — all right
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. key — the most important part
  5. game — a match
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. suit — in cards
  11. court — of a king
  12. stand — to bear
  13. deal — to handle
  14. game — wild animals
  15. fine — high quality
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. key — in music
  21. court — for sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. court — of law
  24. stand — for spectators

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