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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. firm — steady
  3. court — for sport
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. firm — a company
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. court — of law
  13. bore — to drill
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. suit — clothes
  16. court — of a king
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — decided
  20. plane — a tool
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bore — to tire
  24. perch — the fish

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