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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. court — of law
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bark — to shout
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. court — for sport
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fine — high quality
  18. race — humankind
  19. pitch — completely
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fine — all right
  22. race — the arms race
  23. ball — a dance
  24. court — of a king

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