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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. craft — boats
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. court — for sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. craft — a skill
  9. court — of law
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. mark — a trace
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. hand — in cards
  16. court — of a king
  17. club — a group
  18. present — there
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mark — a grade
  23. present — the time now
  24. hand — help

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