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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. court — of a king
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. court — of law
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. charge — in control
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. charge — a price
  19. rest — a break
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. court — for sport
  24. fork — a garden tool

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