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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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. foot — a measure
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rest — what's left
  5. court — of a king
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a dance
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. rest — a break
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. court — of law
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a great time
  17. craft — boats
  18. court — for sport
  19. lie — to recline
  20. swing — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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