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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. object — an aim
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. track — a path
  5. plane — a tool
  6. present — there
  7. object — a thing
  8. wound — an injury
  9. court — for sport
  10. object — to protest
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. track — a song
  21. prune — to trim
  22. court — of law
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. mouse — the animal

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