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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. court — of a king
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. court — of law
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lean — to bend
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. date — the fruit
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lean — thin
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. court — for sport

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