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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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. object — a thing
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. object — to protest
  6. ball — a dance
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. press — to push
  9. shower — rain
  10. press — a publisher
  11. shower — to wash
  12. court — of law
  13. ball — a great time
  14. can — a tin
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. craft — boats
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. court — for sport
  19. can — to be able to
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. court — of a king
  22. craft — a skill
  23. press — newspapers
  24. object — an aim

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