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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. court — of a king
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pop — soda
  5. court — of law
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. capital — a city
  14. bark — to shout
  15. staff — employees
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. court — for sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. capital — money
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spell — magic

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