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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. court — of a king
  3. drill — army training
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. can — a tin
  8. ground — a position
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cue — a signal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. drill — a practice
  19. court — for sport
  20. cue — for pool
  21. court — of law
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ground — the earth
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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