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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — for sport
  3. court — of law
  4. object — a thing
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — help
  9. swing — music
  10. craft — boats
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. hand — in cards
  15. object — to protest
  16. lie — to recline
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pit — in a race
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. object — an aim
  22. pit — a hole
  23. craft — a skill
  24. swing — in golf

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