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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fine — all right
  5. swing — music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. swing — in golf
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. court — of a king
  10. game — a match
  11. deal — to handle
  12. tube — a container
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bulb — for light
  17. court — of law
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fine — high quality
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. craft — boats
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bulb — for light

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