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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in biology
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. suit — in cards
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. court — of a king
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. suit — clothes
  12. craft — boats
  13. suit — to fit
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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