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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. court — for sport
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. capital — a city
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. court — of a king
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bear — the animal
  18. court — of law
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mark — to pay attention

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