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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. court — of law
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. court — of a king
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. staff — employees
  16. bulb — for light
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. squash — the sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. season — in sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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