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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. ball — a great time
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. toast — bread
  8. craft — boats
  9. firm — steady
  10. court — for sport
  11. game — wild animals
  12. ball — a dance
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. firm — a company
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. sharp — clever
  18. court — of a king
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. firm — decided
  21. court — of law
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. sharp — exactly

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