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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.

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: pit · mug · lash · spring · foot · craft · mine · court

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mug — a face
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. craft — boats
  8. mug — to rob
  9. foot — a measure
  10. court — for sport
  11. spring — the season
  12. court — of law
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. craft — a skill
  16. spring — of water
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. spring — a coil
  22. pit — in a race
  23. court — of a king
  24. mine — for digging

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