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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. court — of law
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. court — for sport
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. court — of a king
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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