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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. court — of law
  4. root — of a word
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fine — high quality
  11. court — for sport
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fine — all right
  18. root — the cause
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tear — to rip
  22. suit — in cards
  23. root — of a plant
  24. court — of a king

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