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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. kick — in football
  4. court — of a king
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wax — to grow
  7. court — of law
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stand — to bear
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. court — for sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bulb — of a plant

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