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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. prune — to trim
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. charge — electricity
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. game — wild animals
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lie — to recline
  12. charge — in control
  13. court — of law
  14. vault — a safe
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. charge — a price
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. court — for sport
  20. lean — thin
  21. game — a match
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lean — to bend

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