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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. object — a thing
  3. court — of a king
  4. object — an aim
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. land — ground
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. tube — the underground
  12. object — to protest
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. land — a country
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rock — music
  18. court — for sport
  19. tube — a container
  20. rock — a stone
  21. land — to come down
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bear — the animal

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