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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. court — of a king
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. court — of law
  10. file — a tool
  11. capital — money
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. court — for sport
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. board — a committee
  18. capital — a city
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. file — a document

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