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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. club — a group
  6. ball — a great time
  7. club — for dancing
  8. craft — boats
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pop — soda
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pop — music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pop — to visit
  17. club — for golf
  18. court — of law
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pass — a permit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. court — for sport
  24. ball — a round shape

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