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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — hurry
  4. court — of a king
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. snap — to click
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. kick — in football
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. court — for sport
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mine — for digging

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