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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. suit — in cards
  4. court — of a king
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. suit — clothes
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. plane — a tool
  19. court — of law
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. suit — to fit

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