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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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. court — of a king
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. roll — a cake
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. court — for sport
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. roll — a list
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mine — for digging
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mouse — 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