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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. court — of a king
  2. cell — in biology
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ball — a great time
  9. court — for sport
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. staff — employees
  14. cell — a phone
  15. staff — employees
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wake — a trail
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — a young animal
  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