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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rock — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pit — in a race
  9. tube — a container
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pit — a hole
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. court — for sport
  14. ground — crushed
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ground — the earth
  19. court — of a king
  20. bulb — for light
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — the underground
  23. ground — a position
  24. bulb — for light

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