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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. court — of a king
  6. wake — a trail
  7. tube — a container
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. court — for sport
  10. tube — the underground
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fall — the season
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. game — a match
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. game — wild animals
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. suit — clothes

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