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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. fall — the season
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. club — a group
  5. mug — to rob
  6. club — for dancing
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. net — for catching
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — after costs
  12. bulb — for light
  13. club — for golf
  14. mug — a cup
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. court — for sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mug — a face
  19. bulb — for light
  20. court — of law
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. net — in sport
  24. arm — part of the body

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