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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. court — for sport
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bank — for money
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. court — of a king
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. court — of law
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ball — a great time
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fine — all right
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fine — high quality

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