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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. court — of a king
  3. fork — in a road
  4. net — for catching
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. net — in sport
  11. bark — to shout
  12. court — of law
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lean — thin
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. net — after costs
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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