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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — for sport
  7. rock — a stone
  8. can — to be able to
  9. staff — employees
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. game — a match
  12. rock — music
  13. wound — an injury
  14. suit — to fit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wound — an injury
  17. staff — a stick
  18. game — wild animals
  19. suit — clothes
  20. court — of a king
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. court — of law
  24. staff — employees

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