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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: court · straw · rock · prune · stand · hide · bulb · mark

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mark — a trace
  4. court — of law
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mark — a grade
  9. prune — to trim
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rock — a stone
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bulb — for light
  19. court — of a king
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rock — music
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mark — to pay attention

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