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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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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. court — for sport
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fork — in a road
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ground — crushed
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. roll — a list
  16. court — of law
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. craft — boats
  19. court — of a king
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a cake
  22. date — the fruit
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ground — a position

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