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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kick — in football
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. can — to be able to
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fall — the season
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. craft — a skill
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cue — a hint
  13. court — of a king
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — boats
  16. can — a tin
  17. cue — a signal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. suit — in cards
  20. can — a tin
  21. court — for sport
  22. cue — for pool
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. craft — a handicraft

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