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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pop — to visit
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pop — soda
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. ball — a dance
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — of law
  15. tube — a container
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pop — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lie — an untruth
  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