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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. court — of a king
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. court — for sport
  7. craft — a skill
  8. court — of law
  9. craft — boats
  10. can — a tin
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. spell — magic
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. spell — letters
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. scale — in music
  23. lie — to recline
  24. scale — size or range

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