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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pop — to visit
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. kick — in football
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. court — for sport
  8. spring — the season
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pop — music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. board — to get on
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. court — of law
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pop — soda

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