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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bore — to tire
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bore — to drill
  6. club — for golf
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. prune — to trim
  16. court — of law
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. prune — to trim
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. court — for sport

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