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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. court — of a king
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. court — of law
  12. track — a song
  13. bark — to shout
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. court — for sport
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. can — to be able to

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