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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cap — of ice
  4. staff — a stick
  5. court — of law
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cap — a hat
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bulb — for light
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. staff — employees
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bulb — for light
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. court — for sport
  23. snap — to click
  24. staff — employees

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