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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rock — a stone
  3. court — of a king
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mine — for digging
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. court — of law
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rock — music
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. court — for sport

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