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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. plane — a tool
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. race — the arms race
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cell — a phone
  12. race — a contest
  13. race — humankind
  14. track — a path
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. track — a song
  17. court — of law
  18. ball — a great time
  19. court — for sport
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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