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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. court — of a king
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. court — for sport
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stock — shares
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fork — in a road
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. roll — a list
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stock — goods
  24. court — of law

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