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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: pitcher · leaves · court · fan · plane · rock · mouse · rest

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. court — of a king
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rest — a break
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rock — music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. court — for sport
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. court — of law

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