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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. court — of law
  3. object — an aim
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. court — of a king
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bound — obliged
  10. toast — bread
  11. field — farmland
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. ball — a dance
  14. object — to protest
  15. field — for sport
  16. mark — a grade
  17. object — a thing
  18. mark — a trace
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. court — for sport
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. craft — boats
  23. field — a subject
  24. craft — a handicraft

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