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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — of a king
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. degree — temperature
  7. object — an aim
  8. season — in sport
  9. wake — a trail
  10. court — for sport
  11. prune — to trim
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. object — a thing
  15. prune — to trim
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. degree — from a university
  19. vault — a safe
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stand — to bear
  22. degree — an amount
  23. object — to protest
  24. season — of the year

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