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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bark — to shout
  14. face — to confront
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rash — a series
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. rash — hasty
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. perch — the fish

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