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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. craft — boats
  3. staff — employees
  4. court — of a king
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. track — a song
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pound — a weight
  12. craft — a skill
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. court — for sport
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. track — a path
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. dip — to sink
  23. track — to keep track
  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