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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pass — a permit
  4. staff — employees
  5. court — for sport
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. staff — employees
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rule — government
  15. staff — a stick
  16. ball — a great time
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. court — of a king
  22. rule — a law
  23. ball — a dance
  24. plane — in geometry

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