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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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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. court — of law
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. club — a group
  10. court — of a king
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. club — for golf
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kick — in football
  22. club — for dancing
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. plane — an aircraft

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