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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. board — a committee
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pop — soda
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. court — of law
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pop — to visit
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — to get on
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. court — for sport
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pop — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. court — of a king
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bore — to tire

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