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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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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: mouse · race · court · mate · craft · foot · bay · scale

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. court — of law
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. race — humankind
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — in music
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. race — a contest
  17. craft — boats
  18. court — of a king
  19. mate — to breed
  20. scale — size or range
  21. race — the arms race
  22. court — for sport
  23. foot — a measure
  24. mouse — for a computer

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