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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 124 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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitch — completely
  5. court — of law
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. roll — a list
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bear — the animal
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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