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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. craft — boats
  3. drill — a practice
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mate — a friend
  6. ground — the earth
  7. court — for sport
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kick — in football
  11. suit — clothes
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mate — to breed
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. drill — army training
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ground — a position
  24. craft — a handicraft

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