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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. court — of a king
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. club — for golf
  6. face — to point toward
  7. march — the month
  8. face — part of the head
  9. root — the cause
  10. court — of law
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. root — of a plant
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. court — for sport
  15. march — the month
  16. craft — boats
  17. club — a group
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cue — a hint
  20. club — for dancing
  21. face — to confront
  22. root — of a word
  23. chair — a leader
  24. march — music

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