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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. tube — a container
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. court — for sport
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. craft — boats
  19. court — of a king
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rash — a series
  22. tube — the underground
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cue — a hint

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