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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. game — wild animals
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. object — to protest
  9. court — of a king
  10. game — a match
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lean — thin
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. object — a thing
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. court — of law
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. court — for sport
  20. march — music
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — an aim
  24. lean — to bend

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