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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. court — for sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. court — of law
  7. court — of a king
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. plane — a tool
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bound — certain
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bore — to tire
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — tied together

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