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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. saw — the tool
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. court — of law
  10. rock — a stone
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rock — music
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. court — for sport
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. court — of a king
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bear — to put up with

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