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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. board — a committee
  3. court — of a king
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. chest — a box
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. can — a tin
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. court — of law
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. staff — employees
  19. court — for sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. can — to be able to
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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