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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. face — to confront
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. face — part of the head
  7. charge — a price
  8. court — of law
  9. season — of the year
  10. suit — in cards
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. firm — steady
  13. charge — electricity
  14. dip — to sink
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. season — in sport
  17. charge — in control
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. suit — to fit
  21. face — to point toward
  22. court — of a king
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. suit — clothes

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