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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. can — a tin
  4. drill — army training
  5. suit — in cards
  6. court — of law
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wind — moving air
  15. court — for sport
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. drill — a practice
  22. suit — clothes
  23. can — to be able to
  24. drill — the tool

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