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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. key — the most important part
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. key — in music
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rush — hurry
  13. court — for sport
  14. rest — what's left
  15. press — a publisher
  16. pound — a weight
  17. press — to push
  18. court — of a king
  19. rest — a break
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rest — what's left
  23. key — for a lock
  24. craft — boats

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