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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. court — of law
  3. court — for sport
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pop — to visit
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. court — of a king
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — music
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. key — in music
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. key — for a lock

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