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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. court — of law
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. court — of a king
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. prune — to trim
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mug — a cup
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mug — a face
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. coach — a trainer
  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