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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. spell — a short time
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. spell — magic
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. row — to paddle
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. board — to get on
  11. face — to point toward
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. board — a committee
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. court — of law
  17. face — part of the head
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. court — for sport
  22. row — a line
  23. spell — letters
  24. face — to confront

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