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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. face — to confront
  3. game — a match
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. face — part of the head
  7. tube — a container
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. court — of law
  15. tube — the underground
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. court — for sport
  19. bark — to shout
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. face — to point toward
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bulb — for light

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