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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of law
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. face — to confront
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. face — part of the head
  10. court — of a king
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. degree — an amount
  14. tube — a container
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. present — there
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. present — the time now
  20. face — to point toward
  21. present — a gift
  22. tube — the underground
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — temperature

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