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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. craft — boats
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. court — of a king
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bound — obliged
  9. mate — a partner
  10. swing — music
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pop — music
  14. court — of law
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pop — to visit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. swing — in golf
  19. court — for sport
  20. pop — soda
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bound — certain
  24. leaves — to go away

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