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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. court — of a king
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. shower — to wash
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mark — a trace
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. court — of law
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — to eat
  14. shower — rain
  15. roll — a list
  16. date — the fruit
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. court — for sport
  20. roll — a cake
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. stand — to bear
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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