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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pop — soda
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. court — of law
  6. pop — to visit
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — boats
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. staff — a stick
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pop — music
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. staff — employees
  23. suit — clothes
  24. staff — employees

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