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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. object — an aim
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. march — the month
  8. craft — a skill
  9. board — a committee
  10. court — of law
  11. chip — to eat
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fork — in a road
  14. craft — boats
  15. object — to protest
  16. board — to get on
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. march — the month
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. march — music
  22. object — a thing
  23. court — for sport
  24. chip — for betting

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