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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 116 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fall — to drop
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wind — moving air
  7. court — of law
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mate — a friend
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fall — the season
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. fall — to drop
  23. court — for sport
  24. wind — moving air

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