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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 124 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. suit — to fit
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. court — of law
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. court — for sport
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. craft — boats
  9. sharp — clever
  10. board — to get on
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. perch — the fish
  13. saw — the tool
  14. suit — clothes
  15. board — a committee
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. craft — a skill
  21. court — of a king
  22. saw — the tool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. board — a flat piece

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