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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. spell — letters
  3. bark — to shout
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rock — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. rock — a stone
  13. court — of a king
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — completely
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. court — for sport
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. straw — a straw man

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