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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. craft — boats
  3. rest — what's left
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mug — to rob
  6. court — for sport
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. mate — a friend
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mate — to breed
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — of a king
  15. rest — what's left
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — a price
  18. mug — a cup
  19. court — of law
  20. rest — a break
  21. mate — a partner
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mug — a face

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