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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.

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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. lean — thin
  4. sharp — clever
  5. court — for sport
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. spring — of water
  10. court — of law
  11. lean — to bend
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spring — the season
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. suit — in cards
  19. spring — a coil
  20. current — electric
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ball — a dance
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lie — to recline

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