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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. mark — a trace
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. capital — a city
  5. game — a match
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mark — a grade
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of a king
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fork — in a road
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. game — wild animals
  17. court — of law
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fork — to eat with

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