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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. board — to get on
  5. court — for sport
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bore — to tire
  11. court — of law
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. court — of a king
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — to keep track
  18. can — a tin
  19. board — a committee
  20. track — a path
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. track — a song
  24. fan — a supporter

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