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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
468
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: court · hand · hide · craft · cap · mark · charge · racket

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. cap — a lid
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. court — of a king
  6. charge — in control
  7. craft — boats
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cap — a hat
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cap — of ice
  15. charge — electricity
  16. hand — in cards
  17. court — for sport
  18. charge — a price
  19. hand — help
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mark — a trace
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. craft — a skill

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