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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — of a king
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. ball — a dance
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. court — of law
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fork — in a road
  17. court — for sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bulb — for light
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. ball — a great time

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