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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. court — for sport
  5. mate — to breed
  6. land — a country
  7. court — of a king
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. land — ground
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. court — of law
  13. land — to come down
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mate — a partner
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mate — a friend
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. trunk — of a tree

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