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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. court — of law
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — a group
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. court — for sport
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bulb — for light
  13. club — for dancing
  14. roll — a list
  15. club — for golf
  16. court — of a king
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bear — the animal
  24. roll — a cake

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