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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rock — music
  10. spell — magic
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of law
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rash — hasty
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. spell — letters
  24. tube — in a tire

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