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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. staff — employees
  5. kid — child
  6. court — of law
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. court — of a king
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cell — in biology
  11. kid — to tease
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. craft — boats
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. prune — to trim
  19. staff — a stick
  20. cell — a phone
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rock — music
  23. staff — employees
  24. court — for sport

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