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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. suit — clothes
  3. track — to keep track
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. perch — the fish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. kid — to tease
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. track — a song
  14. court — of law
  15. lie — to recline
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — in cards
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. court — for sport
  21. kid — child
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — a leader
  24. track — a path

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