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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. court — of a king
  4. mug — a face
  5. suit — clothes
  6. court — for sport
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mug — to rob
  9. craft — a skill
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mug — a cup
  12. net — for catching
  13. suit — to fit
  14. net — in sport
  15. can — a tin
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. net — after costs
  20. mate — a friend
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. court — of law
  23. can — a tin
  24. craft — boats

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