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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. fall — the season
  3. court — of a king
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. court — for sport
  6. pop — soda
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. object — to protest
  11. court — of law
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. object — a thing
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. object — an aim
  17. fall — to drop
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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