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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: craft · wake · court · press · date · suit · spell · temple

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. court — for sport
  4. spell — magic
  5. court — of law
  6. spell — letters
  7. craft — boats
  8. spell — a short time
  9. date — the fruit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. press — to push
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. press — newspapers
  19. craft — a skill
  20. suit — to fit
  21. court — of a king
  22. suit — in cards
  23. press — a publisher
  24. suit — clothes

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