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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. court — of a king
  3. shower — rain
  4. suit — in cards
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. court — for sport
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. court — of law
  19. craft — a skill
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rule — government
  22. bulb — for light
  23. craft — boats
  24. dip — a sauce

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