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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 120 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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. present — a gift
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. court — of law
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bulb — for light
  11. file — a tool
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rock — a stone
  14. craft — boats
  15. present — there
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. present — the time now
  18. file — a document
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. court — of a king
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rock — music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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