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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 120 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. court — of a king
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pitch — completely
  9. court — of law
  10. row — to paddle
  11. can — to be able to
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. chest — of your body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. can — a tin
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. court — for sport

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