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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 a fun ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. game — wild animals
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. capital — a city
  11. cue — a hint
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fork — in a road
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. capital — money
  23. court — for sport
  24. trunk — of a car

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