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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. firm — a company
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of law
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — decided
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. key — the most important part
  19. firm — steady
  20. key — in music
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. court — of a king
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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