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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. spell — magic
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. spell — letters
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — the sport
  15. court — for sport
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. squash — to crush

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