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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — to get on
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. dip — to sink
  13. court — of law
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. board — a committee
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bear — the animal
  20. court — for sport
  21. game — a match
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — hurry

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