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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bulb — for light
  3. club — for dancing
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — for sport
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. club — for golf
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. club — a group
  20. staff — employees
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pitcher — a jug

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