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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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rock — a stone
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bulb — for light
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. hand — help
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. squash — to crush
  12. court — of a king
  13. fine — all right
  14. stock — shares
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rock — music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stock — goods
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. court — for sport

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