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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. swing — music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kick — in football
  7. fall — to drop
  8. craft — boats
  9. fall — the season
  10. key — in music
  11. craft — a skill
  12. swing — to play on
  13. charge — in control
  14. key — for a lock
  15. court — for sport
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. court — of law
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bear — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

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