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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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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: ball · arm · court · can · bulb · mug · mark · ruler

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — a face
  3. court — of a king
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. court — of law
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bulb — for light
  10. court — for sport
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. can — a tin
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — a tin
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. arm — a part of something

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