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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. mate — to breed
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. court — for sport
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mug — a cup
  10. craft — boats
  11. land — to come down
  12. mate — a friend
  13. court — of a king
  14. mug — a face
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. land — a country
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mate — a partner
  24. land — ground

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