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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. lean — to bend
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rock — music
  11. staff — employees
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rock — a stone
  14. dip — to sink
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. staff — employees
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lean — thin

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