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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wake — a trail
  7. court — for sport
  8. board — to get on
  9. court — of a king
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. capital — money
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lie — to recline
  16. plane — a tool
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — a city
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. board — a committee
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — to hurry

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