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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. key — the most important part
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rock — music
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. rule — a law
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ball — a dance
  22. court — for sport
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. key — for a lock

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