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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. tube — a container
  11. court — of law
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. court — for sport
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rock — music
  22. tube — the underground
  23. scale — size or range
  24. wind — moving air

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