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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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. spell — letters
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fork — in a road
  12. staff — employees
  13. spell — magic
  14. staff — employees
  15. prune — to trim
  16. court — of law
  17. cue — a hint
  18. staff — a stick
  19. prune — to trim
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. court — for sport
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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