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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. court — of a king
  4. object — to protest
  5. staff — employees
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. court — for sport
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. staff — employees
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. object — a thing
  13. bark — to shout
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rock — a stone
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — an aim
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. roll — a list
  20. court — of law
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rock — music
  23. roll — a cake
  24. mouse — for a computer

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