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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 124 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — in football
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. court — of law
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. court — for sport
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stock — shares
  13. kid — child
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. stock — goods
  24. kid — to tease

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