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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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lie — to recline
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. march — music
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rush — hurry
  17. court — of law
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. march — the month
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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