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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mug — to rob
  3. fork — in a road
  4. game — a match
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. court — of a king
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rock — music
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. court — of law
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. court — for sport
  22. mug — a face
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mug — a cup

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