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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. court — of a king
  5. object — an aim
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bound — certain
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bound — tied together
  13. court — for sport
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. court — of law
  21. bound — obliged
  22. object — a thing
  23. game — a match
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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