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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mug — a face
  7. rock — a stone
  8. tube — a container
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rest — what's left
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rock — music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rest — a break
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. plane — in geometry

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