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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. prune — to trim
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — to trim
  12. court — of law
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. court — for sport
  15. date — the fruit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. court — of a king
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bat — the animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. leaves — lets stay

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