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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. court — of a king
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. snap — to click
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. face — to confront
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fork — in a road
  11. court — for sport
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. face — part of the head
  20. court — of law
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. face — to point toward
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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