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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. court — of a king
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. court — of law
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. season — of the year
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. game — wild animals
  17. key — for a lock
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — for sport
  21. craft — boats
  22. key — the most important part
  23. season — in sport
  24. game — a match

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