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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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. court — for sport
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — a company
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tube — the underground
  16. court — of a king
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mine — for digging
  24. tube — a container

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