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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 124 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. prune — to trim
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. prune — to trim
  11. court — of a king
  12. mate — a partner
  13. date — the fruit
  14. craft — boats
  15. ball — a great time
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ball — a dance
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ball — a round shape

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