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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pit — in a race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a great time
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. court — of a king
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. court — for sport
  13. plane — a tool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. ball — a dance
  20. court — of law
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pit — a hole
  24. can — a tin

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