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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. court — of a king
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. face — to confront
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. toast — bread
  12. face — part of the head
  13. prune — to trim
  14. court — for sport
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. face — to point toward
  23. can — a tin
  24. court — of law

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