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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · craft · pop · club · court · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. court — of law
  3. pop — to visit
  4. club — for dancing
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. court — for sport
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pop — music
  10. craft — a skill
  11. club — a group
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. club — for golf
  14. pop — soda
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. craft — boats
  18. court — of a king

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