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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bear — the animal
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. craft — a skill
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chair — a leader
  19. craft — boats
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. court — for sport
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. fan — a supporter

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