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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. root — the cause
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. club — a group
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. object — to protest
  8. craft — boats
  9. root — of a word
  10. court — of law
  11. tube — the underground
  12. court — of a king
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. club — for dancing
  17. object — an aim
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. club — for golf
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. tube — a container
  24. object — a thing

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