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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — for sport
  4. bound — obliged
  5. vault — a safe
  6. court — of law
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. court — of a king
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. craft — boats
  15. bound — tied together
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. object — to protest
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bound — certain
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — an aim

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