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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. snap — to click
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. court — for sport
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mug — a face
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. court — of law
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a cup
  19. suit — in cards
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mug — to rob
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bowl — to roll

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