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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 116 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. squash — to crush
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. court — for sport
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. court — of a king
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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