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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. last — to go on
  4. court — for sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. court — of law
  7. last — finally
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. firm — a company
  11. bulb — for light
  12. court — of a king
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. firm — steady
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. game — a match
  17. firm — decided
  18. last — final
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mouse — the animal

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