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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 120 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. court — of law
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. court — of a king
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. plane — a tool
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rush — hurry
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rash — a series
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. prune — to trim

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