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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. court — of law
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bank — of a river
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. squash — the sport
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bank — for money
  14. court — of a king
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. craft — boats
  24. bear — the animal

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