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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: court · bowl · lie · jam · mug · firm · squash · rash

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. squash — the sport
  4. firm — a company
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mug — a cup
  7. firm — steady
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. court — of law
  11. squash — to crush
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. court — of a king
  14. firm — decided
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. court — for sport
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rash — a series
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. mug — a face
  24. lie — to recline

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