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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. present — a gift
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. suit — in cards
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bank — for money
  9. bore — to tire
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bank — for money
  12. present — the time now
  13. court — of a king
  14. bank — of a river
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. court — for sport
  17. plane — a tool
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. bore — to drill
  21. can — a tin
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — there
  24. bore — gave birth

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