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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. craft — boats
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. present — a gift
  7. cue — for pool
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. craft — a skill
  10. court — of a king
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cue — a hint
  15. court — for sport
  16. key — for a lock
  17. squash — to crush
  18. present — the time now
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cue — a signal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. key — in music
  24. present — there

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