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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. board — to get on
  9. firm — steady
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. court — of law
  12. perch — the fish
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. drill — army training
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — a committee
  20. bear — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bear — the animal

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