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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. court — for sport
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. suit — in cards
  6. court — of law
  7. court — of a king
  8. suit — to fit
  9. march — the month
  10. spring — the season
  11. march — music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. march — the month
  16. bass — the fish
  17. spring — of water
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bass — low music
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. suit — clothes

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