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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. court — of a king
  4. craft — a skill
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. charge — in control
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. court — of law
  11. deal — to handle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pass — a permit
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. row — a line
  17. craft — boats
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. court — for sport
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. charge — a price
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fork — in a road

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