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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. saw — the tool
  3. swing — in golf
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cue — for pool
  7. swing — music
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. cue — a signal
  13. craft — boats
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. court — of a king
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. swing — to play on

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