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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. court — for sport
  3. object — a thing
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. court — of a king
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. season — in sport
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — clothes
  20. season — of the year
  21. ball — a dance
  22. court — of law
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. wave — with your hand

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