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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bass — low music
  3. club — for dancing
  4. court — of a king
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bass — the fish
  7. craft — boats
  8. court — of law
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. court — for sport
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mine — for digging
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. club — a group
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. club — for golf
  24. arm — part of the body

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