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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. court — of a king
  3. rock — music
  4. court — for sport
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. object — a thing
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. prune — to trim
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — an aim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — to protest
  24. court — of law

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