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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — for sport
  7. rock — music
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. key — in music
  10. court — of law
  11. key — the most important part
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. rock — a stone
  16. face — to confront
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. face — to point toward
  20. pass — a permit
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bat — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bowl — a dish

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